Demon hunters
by Teemuu
Summary: Follow the exploits of the handsome, deadly, competent, and extremely delusional Demon hunter Martinez and his half giant side kick Raoul , as they track down an elusive Succubus.
1. Chapter 1

The demoness smelled the blood, fear, and excitement on her victim. There was no reason to be hidden anymore as she dropped her guise and sauntered towards her victim.

The woodcutter was paralyzed . The demoness knew that part of him wanted to flee into the woods, but something inside him yearned for her seductive embrace. She approached the terrified man and savored the scent of his lust and fear. A flick of her forked tongue on his nose, dropped him quivering to his knees. She savored the moment before tearing and draining his soul .

After she finished devouring her victim her own blood lust faded. Her situation became clearer. She knew she shouldn't be hunting so far and so openly from home , but the thrill of the hunt and the feast of fresh souls was too overpowering and intoxicating. Her master was the only one she feared. She guessed she would be punished if he discovered her forays . Her prey on the other hand, that was another matter. She had nothing to fear from them.

* * *

"Hurry up Raoul ! A tidy sum awaits us, but only if you pick up your pace !", said a cheerful Martinez from further up the uneven road.

The large half giant grumbled but stoically sped up his stride. Despite his employer's simple request, it was not an easy task. To begin with the large man at arms/porter was carrying a heavy load, and the roads they were traveling were not in the best repair. The Third Holy Crusade against the gnomes was in everyone's opinion the most successful, but it bore a tremendous drain on the Empire. Sadly simple road maintenance in this region was one of the neglected sacrifices of the grand Grom bureaucracy.

"Why such a rush?", asked the large Raoul as he finally caught up to the much smaller Martinez.

The tall thin man named Martinez simply flashed a smile at his big lackey. He was dressed in the manner of an aristocrat, but upon closer inspection his leather garments were heavily patched and worn. Despite his layers of clothing , he appeared young, lean and athletic, he possessed a runner's or duelist's physique. His dark brown hair was well groomed , long and curly like a lawyer's wig, and he sported an immaculate mustache and goatee. A well maintained silver rapier hung from his belt to complete his appearance, it served more to impart an air of nobility to his image rather then one of danger.

"Aww, c'mon. A hint ? Let me know what we gonna crush?" , the brutish Raoul pleaded. The large half giant was short for his race , he was only seven feet tall, but he more then made up for his "diminutive" stature with his huge knotted muscles. His bare arms , neck, and even his face were a patch work of scars and crude tattoos. The imposing mercenary wore a battleworn chain shirt, and carried a heavy but crude broadsword at his side.

Martinez snickered at his companion's curiosity. It didn't really matter what they were hunting, he was sure Raoul would happily chop it up if the pay was right. "We are hunting demons of course! ", joked the duelist. Although they were technically demon hunters, the pair tracked and exterminated any type of lower planar creature that plagued Grom's cities and country side. This was normally a job for clerics and paladins, but most had gone south to participate in the Third Crusade. Unfortunately , the monsters and demons that inhabited the realm were too much for the remaining holy servants that remained. Even though many people called the Empire of Grom, the Land of the Demon King, demons were definitely not tolerated by any level of government or nobility. The various churches and militant organizations that normally handled this type of invader were stretched to maintain the peace and had to resort to hiring mercenaries to deal with the seemingly never ending horde of monsters. This left a very profitable window of opportunity for those with the proper skill sets. People like Martinez and Raoul were called to battle demons. They were just as willing to battle the forces of hell and the abyss as any cleric or paladin, for a price that is.

"C'mon. Tell me. ", whined the big giant. Even though he was at least twice as old as the youthful Martinez, his immaturity often surfaced.

The duelist chuckled again and finally relented. "We are heading to the town and barony of Veb. A little piss water community a few days north of Lower Lueders. Veb is a rather uninteresting little mud hole , except that it is often associated with a few minor legends. Supposedly the mighty Sampson once bested a great beast called rather unimaginatively , "The Mad Cow of Veb", and the Great General Monte Nabisco once took refuge there after his army was almost routed by goblins. The town has escaped calamity for the last one hundred years, the last disaster to befall it was a Frost Giant raid that happened during the sacking of Grom City, in the year of the New Emperor. To my knowledge , since that time the Baron and his family has ruled the surrounding lands fairly and more importantly profitably. Of course when the call to arms for the Crusade came out, the current Baron and most of his family answered, thus leaving his lands defenseless. Which is where we come in. Apparently my contacts at the Church of Koryis has notified me that several mysterious attacks had occurred in this quaint little town, and the local priestess requests assistance. Seems people are dying left and right there, five so far this month , eight or nine in total. The victims seem to be drained of life. Also there have been recent sightings of a beautiful winged woman in the woods surrounding the country side. Doesn't take much to put two and two together.", grinned the duelist.

The half giant's brow furrowed as he took in the information, " Sounds like a succubus, but I wouldn't rule out vampire or some type of undead harpy.", he noted as his demeanor turned serious.

Martinez shrugged, "Possibly , but the reports say they still had blood in them. Also some of the attacks happened during daylight. There's something else as well, but I'll keep that little tidbit for myself. ", the duelist teased.

Raoul nodded at this information he was given, "I hope they are paying us well. A succubus will be hard to find. They can change shape you know, and the critters are damn clever. Even if we are properly warded against its magical attacks, if it suspects its being pursued it will flee. If we don't get lucky, the best we can hope for is simply driving it off. We won't get top coin if we just chase it away.", grunted the half giant.

Martinez smiled, " There will be coin a plenty my large friend, and don't worry I did my research. I think we can bag this demonic whore fairly quickly."

* * *

Priestess Stille performed the last rites on Karl the woodsmen. A paltry dozen townsfolk had gathered for the ceremony, but Stille did not blame them. Fear of another attack kept them nervously away , and the priestess found herself powerless to defend them. Karl was typical for his profession , a grumpy old loner but he was still a good man in the priestess's opinion. He did not deserve the fate that befell him. He only came to town to restock his supplies, and was slain by the town's tormentor.

Despite its outward tranquil nature, Veb was a frontier town , situated next to the Darkforest and the Scaled Fens. Marauding humanoids and wild beasts were a constant threat to the populace. Normally the heroic Baron of Veb and his noble knights would handle such invaders but they had gone south to battle the invading gnomes and reclaim the southern territories. Despite their absence the people of the barony were still a tough and resourceful lot. Twice they repelled raiding lizard men last year, and a few months ago they even drove off a ravenous owl bear. This new menace however, was something they could not handle .

Stille was positive it was a succubus or something similar. Reports of sightings of a beautiful demonic woman in the woods, and of course the nature of the deaths convinced her of this. The victims were just slain, but their souls devoured and torn from them. Realization of their grizzly fates, caused the priestess to shudder . She often wished her son would return from the south from the crusade, but she secretly hoped that he would stay there till this danger had passed. It was something that simple force of arms or even magic could not combat directly.

The priestess tried a diplomatic approach with this creature, hoping she could negotiate some sort of peace or truce with it. If her church found out about her overtures she was sure she would be denounced, but she was always considered an unusual cleric . She hoped that whatever terrorizing them could be reasoned with, her own mentor,the eccentric but enlightened lady Wayland would have approved. Despite her attempts, the monster did not respond . It was with careful judgement that Stille finally decide to request aid from her church. Veb had always been a close knit community, one with careful guarded secrets hidden in it. The baron like his father before him , welcomed visitors but was careful to keep their own privacy. Stille hoped that the holy warriors she summoned would not break the delicate balance of the besieged community.

* * *

Martinez noted the ten fresh graves as they passed the small hilled cemetery. From the flowers and small gifts adorning the most recent one, he guessed the succubus had claimed another victim. The duelist stopped at the sturdy church next to the cemetery but was disappointed to find it empty.

"No sign of this Sister Stille person. Though the place is well maintained, maybe she will come back later. ", shrugged Raoul as he examined the empty place of worship.

Martinez shook his head. "Normally a good idea, but I notice no living quarters attached or near this church. I'm guessing she must reside in town. A small community like this wouldn't have a dedicated priestess like a larger community. I'm assuming she's a minor cleric, most likely a cloistered one, an adept, or even someone with no divine connection. That would explain their request for outside assistance. This demon is too powerful for her, so she called in the pros. We would be better off to proceed to town and seek this sister Stille out there."

Raoul scratched his head but nodded in agreement. "Hmmm...I guess that's why you get paid the big bucks."

* * *

Martinez noted the wards and crude sigils surrounding the town as they entered. Most were just random scratches by superstitious country bumpkins, but a few were expertly place protective runes. The towns folk apparently had taken much more elaborate precautions then the duelist had expected.

As Martinez scanned for signs of the priestess, his large companion poked him heavily on the shoulder and pointed to the tavern.

"Oww...watch it you big oaf. Now's no time to have a drink. We have a priestess to find. ", declared the duelist as he rubbed his most likely bruised shoulder.

"Look again big shot. ", sniffed Raoul.

Martinez looked at the inn and nodded. Besides being a typical quaint and inviting inn, it sported a large holy symbol of Koryis , the god of knowledge, peace and prosperity. The inviting palm symbol almost caused the duelist to gag . If these people worshiped a proper war patron like Rawk or Nirrodin , then they would be prepared to deal with the demon plaguing them. Guessing from the large holy symbol, Martinez assumed that this Stille person most likely worked or own the tavern. If that wasn't the case at least who ever worked there would be the most likely to be able to locate her.

The pair changed direction and headed towards the tavern. As they approached a grey haired woman stepped outside and waved at them. Martinez noted they must not get many visitors , and their arrival was probably the talk of the town. He noted the woman was of average height and was dressed in a plain black but friendly dress. Typical innkeeper outfit he chuckled to himself. As they got closer his suspicions were confirmed as he noted the woman was wearing a prominent holy symbol of Koryis on a chain around her neck. Although her tidy and trim shoulder length grey hair betrayed her age she was still blessed with generous curves and a pleasing appearance. A hint of wrinkles around her steel blue eyes were the only thing that marred her smooth comely face. In a word , she was breathtaking.

Raoul elbowed Martinez heavily as he noticed his easily distracted companion almost drooling towards the priestess.

"Owww...that's twice now you big oaf. Errr...Greetings you must be the Priestess Stille. I am the famed Demon hunter Martinez and this is my clumsy but dependable companion Raoul . We came as soon as we received an urgent request from the main church of Koryis. We are here to rid you of your demon problem!", declared the duelist as he rubbed his most likely bruised ribs.

Stille seemed a bit shocked at their introductions, "Wait...I was expecting paladins, clerics, even inquisitors. I didn't expect outside...contractors.", she said nervously.

"Please. You can call us adventurers. We won't be insulted by the term. We are well aware of the negative but justly deserved connotations associated with that word. I can assure you we are professionals. We will fix the problem and be out of your ...lovely hair ...before you know it. ", replied Martinez with a bow. He wanted to be as professional as he professed to be , but he couldn't help but flirt with the beautiful older woman.

"I do not doubt your competence. It's just..our...my situation here is unique. The church knows of the intricacies of the House of Veb, and I was hoping for their ..discretion.", replied the flustered priestess, ignoring the duelists compliment.

"Listen lady, we're the best in the biz. We got rid of the pack of forge halflings terrorizing the village of Thunfische this spring. We slew the Cambion haunting the watch tower by Upper Lueders, and we banished a pair of Babau demons hiding out in the ruins of Boryis's tower two weeks ago.", boasted Raoul before Martinez could reply. The duelist normally did all the talking and negotiating , and immediately wanted to kick the oaf for speaking out of turn. However he saw that his big companions words gave the lovely priestess pause.

"Hmm...you called them Babau demons. At least you got their names right, even my father could never get that right. I guess you two are at least knowledgeable. ", she commented . At her own mention of her father, the priestess seemed to smile to herself , reflecting on some past pleasant memory. Martinez took a note of this in case he had the opportunity to spend more time with the enchanting lady Stille later. She was obviously older then him, but the duelist considered himself a fine connoisseur of beauty, regardless of age, and the beauty of the specimen before him would put most noblewomen half her years to shame.

"I guess since you two came all the way here, I should accept your help. Please come inside my inn, its called the Orange Hero, but everyone here just refers to is as the Orange inn. ", relented Stille .

"Ah , named after the hero...what's his face. The right hand of the emperor , or something, the guy with the skin condition.", commented the duelist smugly.

"Yes, many inns and buildings were named after the hero Zax's exploits. I have the honor of meeting the man when I was just seven years old, as you can see I parlayed that experience and named my inn after him. ", replied the priestess nostalgically as she showed them some chairs in the empty inn. Only the sounds of a serving wench preparing for this evenings meals, and the soft patter of a house cat broke the silence of the near empty tavern.

"Nice inn. ", commented Raoul curtly and the priestess beamed a smile at the half giant for the compliment . Martinez glared at his companion again, he would have to talk to the oaf and remind him his role.

"Our situation here is dire. A demon which I believe is a succubus or some form of offshoot is preying on the townsfolk in our town. The attacks began three months ago ,we lost the miller. We chalked it up to a random monster attack at first, but the deaths continued . It seemed whatever is attacking us sees us as easy prey as our casualites have accelerated. As a priestess of Koryis I first tried a non violent approach to battle this creature, I tried to make contact with it but met with no success. After diplomacy failed , I attempted to battle it directly but sadly I've had made no in roads to flush it in the open. Normally my son would assist me to track such a monster down, he's a master ranger, but sadly he's participating in the current pointless Crusade. ", she said with disdain.

"Pardon me, but you're a priestess. Why don't you use divination or detection magic to track it. ", asked Martinez . He was impressed Stille had attempted to not only talk to the demoness but also was ready to confront this creature herself. She guessed despite her god's peaceful nature she most likely had some combat experience in the army in her youth.

Stille shook her head, "It's the woods. Although they look benign, they radiate an evil aura. On most maps its known as the Darkwoods, Greenwood, or the Great Forest, but around here its simple known as the Devil's Woods. As you can surmise, it helps mask the local denizen's auras to some extent. This won't be a problem . Will it?"

Martinez grinned, "Normally it would be, but we came prepared . "

Stille nodded and continued her tale, " As you can see from the recent graves, all our efforts to deter and battle this creature has failed. I do not fear the creature , but it apparently has no desire to fight in the open. It just wants to feast on my friends and neighbors." , she said in frustration as her eyes welled up.

Before Martinez could cheer her up with his brilliant plan to capture and slay the beast, Raoul shrugged and offered the priestess a handkerchief. Stille took it and flashed a genuine heart melting smile at the half giant. Martinez caught the gesture, and was livid. What was he doing horning his way on his action? The dashing handsome duelist was gonna be the hero to rescue the maiden in distress, not the stupid half giant !

Before Martinez's temper erupted, Stille turned to the duelist. "You said you can track this demoness. Explain. "

"Yes my dear priestess. As I said before, I am a professional. ", stated the duelist, making sure to distance himself from that oaf Raoul. " As a demon hunter, I don't run head long into dangerous situations. The prey I hunt can rend one with both claw and magic. If your guess is correct, a succubus is a very dangerous foe to confront, especially without the use of magical divinations. They can change shape, and are experts at blending into a crowd. "

Stille nodded, "I know all of this, but please continue."

At that moment the formerly unseen barmaid entered the room. Although Martinez did not recall Stille summoning her, the young but plump serving wench began pouring the trio wine from a pitcher. Raoul rapidly drained his cup , and crudely motioned for a refill. Martinez smiled at the pleasant looking but gap tooth waitress and was surprised at the quality of the cordial offered to them. After a satisfying sip he continued his story.

"I've done some research on this area and found some interesting facts about its history. ", smiled the confident duelist. At mention of the barony's history , Martinez noticed a barely perceptible quiver mar Stille's upper lip, but she was careful to maintain her cool composure.

"First off , the Von Vebs have maintained a fairly open rule over this land for centuries. They weren't inspired rulers but at least competent. They were a typical degenerate noble family, they had their own little make believe local knight order to make themselves feel important , maintained a contingent of man at arms to keep the local serfs in line, and paid lip service to the various higher ups in the area to legitimize their control. Typical noble bull shit. All of this changed approximately a hundred years ago. After a particularly violent giant raid, the youngest son of the family took over the barony. That in itself was not that surprising, but what was particular was that he took a particularly young and beautiful woman as his bride. It was said she was uncommonly beautiful and the fairest maidens from the courts of Grom City to the pampered daughters of the merchant lords of Lower Lueders were shamed in comparison. That's all great for the new Baron von Veb, but subtle changes began occurring. First off the entire clan became more reclusive and secretive. That also is not particularly remarkable, but I also discovered that they reduced the size of the militia, only the baron and his closest companions were in charge of the countrysides defense.", stated Martinez.

Stille shrugged. "As you said , all of that is not really interesting. I've heard all of this before, since I do live here. Also I want to point out the Baron Halvor was a great warrior and his companions were equally deadly. He didn't dissolve the militia, he just down sized them and participated in the barony's defense more actively . Partially to save money and to improve efficiency. ", defended the priestess.

Martinez nodded,"Yes of course. This Baron Halvor was a hands on kind of guy , a bit odd but otherwise typical for the nobility. ", he said to humor the priestess. He smiled to himself as he wanted to see her reaction when he presented his special discovery.

" As I dug deeper , I made an amazing discovery. Many stories indicate that the woman he married was only seven years old when they tied the knot. Political marriages sometimes engage in the abhorrent practice of child brides, but by all reports the baroness was at that point a fully developed young woman. I dug deeper and found in most descriptions that this mysterious woman had light blue hair and in some of the wilder stories she has horns, tails and even bat wings which she takes great care to hide. Although she came from a noble family, there's documented proof that she was adopted from a tiefling orphanage in Lower Lueders. Can you see the connection now? ", asked the duelist smugly.

Stille gave a skeptical and offended look to Martinez. The duelist of course expected such a reaction, that would be how he would react if his sheltered view of his own tight knit community was suddenly bursted by the cold logical deductions of a brilliant but handsome demon hunter.

The priestess did not reply but just gave the duelist a cold stare. Raoul however responded, for once in a manner that did not make Martinez want to kick him.

"Ohh...ohh...I get it! A tiefling is a half demon thingamiggy. So this baroness probably was a succubus critter all along, probably blended in with those tieflings .",replied Raoul to the question Martinez posed.

Stille smiled and posed her own question, "Alright, suppose your theory is correct. If the baroness is a succubus why would she wait a hundred years to start preying on her subjects? "

Martinez shook his head, " I fear the worse I'm afraid. I'm going to hazard a very well educated guess here. The baron smuggled victims into the keep from outside the barony. Although slavery inside Grom is officially illegal , we all know people can get around it. To my research there weren't any reported disappearances from the surrounding towns , but the baron was known to have his hand in the caravan buisness and it wouldn't surprise me if he bought slaves from foreign lands to sate his wife's desires. It is my hypothesis that this was the arrangement the baron and then his son had maintained for over a century. Everything of course was fine , until the recent crusade. As you know this last expedition has been long and draining for the empire, it wouldn't surprise me that due to the length of this conflict, any arrangements the current baron had in place to keep his pet, or more correctly his mistress satisfied could not be honored. Therefore the creature had to take matters into her own vile hands. She's like a bloated demonic queen bee, a ravenous creature that demands a tithe from her drones. ", declared the duelist as he melodramatically waved his fingers evilly.

Stille appeared livid but kept silence at the abhorrent suggestion of her quaint town's history.

"I know, I know...this is pretty hard to accept. This quaint little town you thought was all peaceful has been nothing but a nesting ground for a vile demonic harlot. Your problem is you can't find the succubus, my solution is simple. We ask for an audience with the baroness or if that is not possible we sneak into her keep. I'm sure she has appropriate guardians and traps, but nothing my associate and myself can't handle. When we confront her, we'll quickly dispatch her and "Poof" problem solved. Succubus often work alone since their insane jealousy often drives them to tear apart perceived rivals, but we will thoroughly scour the keep incase it has charmed minions, and of course help ourselves to any valuables we encounter. That's typical in most adventuring contracts by the way. I suggest you raze the nest of evil to the ground, but that's up to you. We can get this all done tonight if you want. ", smiled the duelist confidently.

Stille shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe this. It's all a bad joke, why would the church send you two fools instead of a properly informed paladin or cleric I can trust. "

Martinez was a bit offended by the last comment. What could a cleric or paladin kill that he couldn't. Sure his services cost more, but he got the job done. Quickly and efficiently without the moral holier then thou bull crap. " I am hurt by your lack of trust in me. Listen Lady Stille, can you get us an audience to the baroness? If you want, I can prove to you she's a succubus before I kill it . If that makes you feel any better. I just need to meet her. ", said the duelist feigning a hurt pride at her mistrust.

"She's right. That is a pretty crazy story. I'm not sure I would get you an audience with the baroness if I was in her position either. ", added Raoul giving his boss a "are you an idiot ? " glare. Once again Martinez contemplate kicking his half giant companion, but instead returned a "you are this close to being kicked in the nuts " gaze.

As the pair of demon hunters glared at each other, they were interrupted by an enchanting almost haunting laughter from the priestess. She shook her head slowly an regained her composure. "That is an interesting theory ..and an even more interesting plan you have. However there is just one small problem. ", she said stifling another burst of laughter.

"Oh? What's that?", asked Martinez , confident of the success of his brilliant plan.

"Well...you see...I am the baroness. Or , as you put it...the bloated demonic queen bee. ", the priestess Stille said as her eyes flashed like lightning.


	2. Chapter 2

Martinez blinked in disbelief at Stille's revelation.

The priestess crossed her arms and eyed the pair sternly. "Well, what's it going to be? Are you going to ...ahem...quickly dispatch me ..and poof...my problems vanish? ", she challenged.

"We're threatening innkeepers now? This is low...even for us. ", protested Raoul.

The duelist ignored the half giant and considered how this would go down. If he was correct about his assumptions about the baroness and attack, then he was sure the creature must surely have an ace up her sleeve. The element of surprise was gone and she most likely had a readied spell, minions outside, or perhaps some unknown defense. He was sure she would not put herself at his mercy so foolishly. If he was correct and didn't attack, the monster before him could either escape or ply her magic on them unopposed. If by some incredibly small chance he was incorrect and refrained from attacking , then he would still look like a fool. He doubt this incident ,no matter how trivial or minor would remain in the room, knowing how chatty old broads are , news of his incompetence would leak to his future employers and current competitors. The fourth option was that he was incorrect and attacked, that would be disastrous. Not only would his reputation and standing as a demon hunter be ruined forever, but he would most likely be wanted by what passes as the law . Constables, soldiers, and even Royal Adventurers would most likely be sent to bring him to justice.

As Martinez puzzled over his course of action, he noticed the priestess smirk at his predicament. Was it a test or dare of some sort he thought ? As the duelist puzzled over her reaction, the pleasant looking serving girl returned with more wine , as requested by Raoul.

"Anna, please leave. Now is not the time. ", Stille blurted as she turned her attention towards the servant and began shooing her away.

That was all the advantage that Martinez needed. With the speed of an drug fueled cat, he retrieved what appeared to be a rectangular square slab of wood at his side. A quick pull of a hidden latch, and four bow arms popped from its side. Two preloaded crossbow bolts slotted into place as the duelist pointed his twin arbalest at the priestess and her servant. Although Raoul voiced his reluctance to follow Martinez earlier, the half giant emitted a low roar from his vast lungs. Glowing strands of force began forming from his hands and quickly formed a heavy staff as tall as himself. It gleamed and pulsed in his hands with some form of alien power.

"HAH! I have the advantage now, old woman. ", boasted the duelist. "Not so tough now are you? Especially with my dual action double crossbow aimed at your face and Raoul's staff ready to strike you down. "

Stille did not look amused and folded her arms together and stared at the duelist again. "How is this different from thirty seconds ago ?"

Martinez considered her statement , and tried to think of an appropriate answer.

"M..Mistress...what's going on? Why do they have weapons ?", asked Anna cringing in fear, before the duelist could answer the priestess.

Stille sighed and reevaluated her situation. She did not seem concern for her own well being, but the safety of her servant seemed to weigh heavily on her. She slowly unfolded her arm, and place them above her head. " Please do not let this degenerate to violence. Let Anna be. I surrender. ", she said reluctantly.

* * *

"Where have you been! ", roared the conjurer as he back handed the delinquent demoness.

The magician was in a long blue robe with several glowing arcane symbols on it. He did not look terribly remarkable or sinister, but his demonic servant certainly did. She was on all fours, and her body oozed lewdness, seduction, lust and perversity. Every part of her from her ample breasts, sensual curves, curled horns, dark mane, leather wings, and sinister tail , screamed the temptations of some forbidden erotic delight.

The slap did not physically hurt the succubus at all, but such a demeaning gesture stabbed deep into her abysall pride. The creature reared back and bared its fangs , while hissing angrily at her master.

The conjurer snorted at the futile gesture and took a step towards his servant. Despite the succubus's defiance, it shrunk back as he approached.

" Those damn Knights of the Husky and their allies the Clerics of Koryis are closing in on my lair, and I just discovered that I've been searching in the wrong place all this time. We are no closer to finding the Blue Mage's sanctum, and my foes close around me. While everything is falling apart , I find you hunting and frolicking carelessly at who knows where ! Useless creature ! I should have summoned something more obedient...", said the conjurer menacingly.

The succubus sensed the man's anger, and rapidly changed from a defiant to a more submissive mode. It literally purred as it approached the conjurer and rubbed her beautiful dark maned head against the hand that slapped her so dismissively earlier.

"...though I must admit, that you do have your charms. ",conceded the conjurer.

The magician enjoyed the touch of the creature's hair against his hand, and felt his own lust briefly rise with in him. Before he did something rash, he took a deep breath and reasserted his control of the situation and gently pushed his willing servant away . Although she was in the image of some lingering beauty from his dreams , to accept her embrace was to feel the wrath of his harshest nightmares. She was the perfect tool to confuse his enemies and to break their wills, but she could easily over come his own if he was not careful. Such a balance was one of the cornerstones of magic theory. To wield power but not to let it consume oneself.

The succubus growled and purred seductively despite the conjurer rejecting her once again. It was a game the pair played many times in the past.

"Sir Rollo is leading their group. I need you to find this man and ...break him, scattering the forces he leads in the process. ", smiled the conjurer. He then produced a scrap of clothing and presented it to his servant.

The succubus's eyes widened and she salivated in anticipation of the hunt. She sniffed the cloth and savored the scent , her whole body shivered from her perfectly formed nose , her pert breasts, to her leathery wings and tail.

The conjurer nodded as he sensed his servant was ready. "As you disperse my foes, I will relocate my base. There's a small town named Veb , approximately a hundred miles south of here. My research has indicated the sanctum we seek is located somewhere there. "

The succubus's slightly pointed ears perked up at the mention of Veb. It grinned widely, revealing her sharp teeth, she would soon return inadvertently to her favored hunting ground.

* * *

"You two broads can quit your struggling. Those are mage ropes. Made from the hairs of the dreaded disenchanter. You won't be able to employ your magic against us with your hands bound with them.", gloated Martinez at his two captives . After they had surrendered to the duelist and his half giant companion , the demon hunters took the pair to the common room. They then barred the door and bound them with various specialist tools typically used on infernal predators.

"We aren't struggling. ", stated Stille, while sitting quietly and ignoring the duelist's taunts .

Martinez scoffed at the beautiful old priestess. It was all so clear now. He examined her stern face, and noted that besides some crow's feet around her eyes, her skin was flawless. Although his prey was known to be able to shape change, something as arrogant as a succubus would never appear as anything but beautiful to her prey. In retrospect he admonished himself for not shooting her in the face with crossbow when he first met her.

"You must be livid to have your guise pierced so easily . You shouldn't be too hard on yourself though, many have tried to fool me in the past, none have succeeded. ", boasted the duelist as he continued to heap praise on himself.

"Errr... those forge halflings fooled you pretty good when they tricked you into that barrel and rolled you down that hill. ", commented Raoul but was quickly silenced by Martinez's withering gaze.

"Just to be clear, I told you I was the Baroness of Veb. Your legendary powers of deduction had nothing to do with my revelation. ", commented Stille.

"Please Baroness ... your petty insults are not becoming of the nobility. I would have thought spending a century pretending to be a member of the aristocracy would have instilled better manners into you.", scoffed Martinez.

"Lady Stille...I'm scared. Is this man insane? ", whispered Anna fearfully.

Lady Stille gave her servant a calming look, and turned her attention back to the preening duelist." You have me...oh mighty demon hunter. Now what? ", she demanded.

"Yeah boss ...now what ? If she's a succubus like you say she is ...then we're in the money. However ...besides looking like a milf, she's shown no signs of being a demoness. I want to add I like milfs...and if being a milf is illegal here...I'm leaving this god forsaken country. ", commented Raoul with no hint of sarcasm.

"What's a milf? ", whispered Anna confused.

Martinez snorted at the half giant and the naive serving girl and stared at the defiant priestess. "Time to play my trump card my dear Stille. I told you before that I can prove without a doubt that the baroness is a demoness in disguise. I compliment you on your iron will and your superb acting skills, but the charade is over ! ", declared the duelist as he retrieved a small locked box from his pocket.

The box itself was similar to a jewelry box, but Stille noted that similar models were mainly used by merchants to guard their most valuable treasures. Martinez smiled and opened the box, revealing what appeared to be a plain grey stone.

Stille stared at the rock for awhile and a look of curiosity broke her stern visage.

"Err...a small rock? You threaten me with a stone? ", puzzled the priestess.

Martinez noted the confusion in his prey and paused dramatically. The room remained quiet for awhile as the duelist waited for her curiosity to gnaw and claw at her.

.

.

.

"Errr..boss. Did you forget what you were going to say. Cuz you're looking pretty dumb just standing there with that small stone in your hand. ", noted Raoul after a long pause.

Martinez was about to kick his oafish side kick, but retained his composure. There was no need for his moment to be ruined by his brutish ally.

"This my dear Baroness, is a rock from the ruins of Almarth. I doubt you know what or where that is , so I will explain. ", began the duelist.

"Almarth, ruined city situated in the western part of the Knight Holds. Noted for its ability to drain magic and prevent scrying and travel spells. The ruins powers were great enough to prevent the demon Lord Yeenoghu from escaping during the battle of the Great Host versus the Great Horde. The area is similar to the plateau of Velmon/Rawk , the Iron Glacier of Khazag Narg, and to a limited extent certain areas in the Shattered mountains. ", recited Stille.

"Errr ...yeah. Well, with this stone, I will pierce your guise , proving to everyone here your true identity. Say good bye Miss Smarty pants demon babe. ", smiled Martinez. He walked forward and pressed the stone against the forehead of Stille. The duelist half expected wings and horns to sprout from the priestess , but oddly nothing of the sort happened.

"I don't see a change. ", commented Raoul as he gazed intently at the glaring priestess.

"Wait...I think its dusty. Let me try again after I clean it. ", sputtered Martinez as he wiped the stone against his shirt and pressed the stone against the priestess forehead once again. As before, nothing happened.

"Umm..is it broken?", queried the half giant.

Martinez was beside himself in panic. On numerous occasions in the past, he had used his Almarth stone to reveal demons. It cost him nearly 10,000 gold and the thought of his investment now useless drove him into a worse panic then the thought of imprisoning a baroness with no cause.

"Wait...bring your psionic called weapon over here. ", requested the duelist as he scrambled for a solution to his immediate problem. The half giant reluctantly agreed and presented the staff to his employer. Instead of accepting the weapon, Martinez pressed the stone against it . The weapon flickered and began unraveling into strands of energy. The weapon dissipated as quickly as it had formed a few minutes ago. The duelist breathed a sigh of relief, his investment was safe.

Raoul staggered as his force weapon was dispelled, "Hey dumbass...that weapon is a projection of me...I need to lie down ...get a drink. ", slurred the half giant as he stumbled his way back to the bar. Martinez began to protest , but thought he was a bit rash in his action. He should have picked something less important to dispel, but admitted the staff was a good test for his stone. It was sufficiently powerful enough and despite his companion's complaints , was easily replaceable.

This of course left him with the problem with the baroness. How did she maintain her illusion under the dispelling powers of the stone of Almarth? He turned to interrogate again and stopped. Panic rose in his throat. She was gone.

*WHACK*

Martinez fell to the ground , as the double images of an old woman holding what appeared to be a fireplace poker in her hand. She raised the iron rod again, and the duelist's vision sank into darkness.

* * *

The duelist's vision swam in and out of focus.

He wasn't sure where he was, what he was doing, or who he was at the moment. At the moment he saw a woman standing over him wielding an iron fire place poker or something. He looked at her closely and saw a vision of beauty before him, besides her grey hair she could have been a courtesan or perhaps an exotic dancer or something.

Martinez...his name was Martinez he remembered through his ringing skull. That was a good sign he thought. He was some sort of mercenary or something.

Wait...mercenaries lead pretty loose lives. Was the woman before him some sort of high priced prostitute or exotic dancer ? She had grey hair, she must have been pretty old despite her stunning figure. Was he a down on his luck mercenary ..was that the reason he was hiring old whores?

Wait ...thought the duelist. Why was she wielding an iron poker? Did he indulge in weird fetishes ? Was he into old broads who wielded bizarre erotic toys?

A low rumble from beside him jolted the duelist into reality. He glanced to the side and saw large man , no a giant of a man, bound and laying on his side. A bloody gash was on his head. "Oh great..I'm at the clutches of a crazy bondage obsessed whore that likes to punish her subjects."

The woman stared down at him. " Anna, can you shut the door on your way out. ", she said in a loud firm voice. "

"Yes Lady Stille.", replied a scared feminine voice . The muffled sounds of a door closing followed.

Martinez still wasn't thinking straight but cracked a smile. "Stille? Silent? Hush? ", cackled the duelist as he verbally translated the word stille form one of the northern dialects of Grom.

This silent woman or whatever her name was , ignored the duelist's statement and walked to a small table next to her. "A nice collection of toys you have here. ", she commented coolly.

"A double action arbalest...complete with blessed bolts. Mage rope. Silver plated knives. Gloves with cold iron knuckles. Some type of dust in a small sealed box with wards. Oh..here's a rarity, a metalline garotte. I wonder where you got that from. You boys came prepared. ", she recited as she examined the items arrayed.

The duelist smiled, "Oh yeah...its time to get funky . Wait...an arbalest? knives? Knuckledusters? ", he pondered to himself. Those weren't erotic toys, they sound like weapons.

Suddenly Martinez remembered who he was and what he was doing. He was a demon hunter, and he and his side kick had been captured by a succubus.

"The metalline garrote I had specially made from a gnome in Stormreach. It didn't come cheap. ", replied Martinez, attempting to buy time. He could feel his hands tied behind his back, most likely with his own mage rope. How did she escape he wondered? The bindings were specially designed to resist magic and Raoul was especially skilled at tying knots.

"So , now the shoe's on the other foot. ",commented lady Stille as she walked towards the pair.

"Well, what's it going to be? Are you going to ...ahem...quickly dispatch us ..and poof...your problems vanish? ", aped Martinez as the demoness approached. Those were the words she asked him earlier, and he hoped his amusing mimicry would evoke some mercy from the creature. He gave her his most cocky smile as well, perhaps his natural charm would work on her. Chicks digged his smile. Even though she was a succubus, perhaps she would keep him as a toy for awhile as he searched for a way out.

Stille looked at her prisoners sternly and pondered her course of action.

"Err ok ..that was a poor choice of humor. Look Miss Demon Lady , I understand the rules of the game. We're demon hunters, and we found you . You took us out, and now you're gonna use your Succubus sex killing magic on us. I get it , no hard feelings ok. We tracked you down, but didn't close the deal . You won , we lost. It's all cool, but I just have a single request. ", begged the humbled duelist , continuing to seek an opportunity to escape.

Lady Stille grinned and seemed amused at the pleading demon hunter. "What would you have me do?"

"Err look . I know you succubus's can change form and that crap to assume a more pleasing visage to your victim. If you're going to kill me with your sex draining magic, can you take the form of a blond or something? I have a thing for them. ", smirked Martinez , hoping to gain any form of advantage

Stille looked both shocked and appalled at the suggestion. She walked to the table and grabbed the silver plated knife she had examined before. She then walked to the duelist and kneeled over him. Martinez knew he was at a disadvantage but perhaps is she got in close he could give her a head butt or something.

As the demon hunter readied his attack, he judged that Stille was a few inches outside his short ranged gambit.

"Now that both of you are awake. First off. I am not a succubus, and I am both repulsed and shocked anyone could think I would devour my friends and neighbors. ", she stated calmly.

Martinez nodded and heard a low moan next to him.

"That makes sense. She doesn't smell like a succubus, but she does have a faint wiff of brimstone about her. That might be due to the proximity of the forest though, this whole town has a faint scent of it. ", said a suddenly conscious Raoul.

"Err...If you aren't a succubus , umm can you let us go? ", asked Martinez . He still wasn't 100% convinced, but saw an opportunity to escape and wasn't about to let it go.

"I am debating whether I should or not. You both admitted you were about to kill me, and were ready to loot and pillage my household afterwards. As a baroness , I am well within my rights to have you arrested and brought to charges. ", stated the comely grey haired woman.

"It would be our word against yours. ", noted Martinez . He debated to himself if a slow death in prison would be more preferable to a fast death in this woman's embrace.

"Yes, the word of a baroness who knows Lord Ricardo Belcadiz and is the god daughter to the Emperor Clovis, or the ramblings of a pair of scruffy demon hunter/bandits. I wonder whose word they would believe. ", continued Stille. Although she seemed proud of her boasts, the duelist noted a hint of reluctance in her use of "name dropping".

"Who's the hell is Ricardo Belcadiz?", asked Martinez, puzzled by the random name.

"Lord Quick , the Lord Eggbert guy I think. ", commented Raoul with a shrug. The elven Royal Adventurer was the public face of the Empire's judicial system, and was said to be a dangerous foe both martially and judicially.

Stille tipped her head at the bound half giant and continued, "Despite your unreliable nature, I will release the both of you . I just wanted to make our positions clear . Although , brigands like you are a blight on the land, I do require your services. The threat of a real succubus or similar creature is plaguing my lands and it is something I can't handle myself. I will put aside my personal distrust , and stay charges against you two. In return I expect you to continue in your quest to hunt down this demon.", the baroness commanded. Before Martinez could reply she nimbly slipped behind him and sliced the bonds .

"Errr...watch the rope, that stuff isn't cheap you know. ", commented the duelist annoyed but grateful that he had dodged death. His intuition proved incorrect and he was thoroughly embarrassed. He was sure that Stille was a demon and he was proven painfully wrong. The fact she released him, and he detected no signs that he was under a compulsion or geas poked holes in his demon baroness theory. Also the failure of the stone of Almarth to reveal her illusion was hard to explain. The duelist was completely humbled and filled with self doubt over his own competence. As he rubbed his wrists to bring back his circulation, he posed a question to Stille.

"Okay , we screwed up badly there, and for that I apologize profusely . Why are you giving us a second chance? We obviously suck at tracking down demons, why don't you throw us to the mercy of the Grommish courts and get some better trackers to assist you.", shrugged Martinez.

Stille considered his statement and paused in thought. She finally took a deep breath and explained. "Well, you two are apparently well prepared for your task. Despite your appearance, you seem very well equipped and knowledgeable about your prey. Also I am impressed by the research , deductions, and intuition you have displayed. I have full confidence that if your efforts were properly applied , you can track this demon down for me. "

Raoul looked puzzled, "Wait.. research , deductions, intuition? Were you hit on the head too? Cuz we got all three wrong , Wrong, WRONG. Actually Martinez screwed up. I just sniff out our prey and bash things. ", the half giant stated as he got up and began stretching his limbs and rubbing the dry blood off his bruised head.

Martinez was about to kick his side kick . Partially because he was insulted, but mainly because he was still wobbling at his feet, and the duelist wouldn't get a better chance. However Lady Stille stopped him in his tracks.

The baroness sighed and brushed back her grey hair, revealing a delicate twisted horn. She then grinned and revealed several razor sharp teeth. Finally a tail , literally snaked out from under her dress and playfully waved at them with uncommon dexterity. The duelist had never heard of a demon employing its tail to wield weapons, but he noted immediately it was coiled around a small knife, and then realized how she was able to escape the mage rope earlier.

"We need to have a talk. Let us retreat to my keep. ", commanded the fiendish baroness.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why the hell is the Keep like five friggin miles out of town. You would think they would have built this place over looking all the merchants, so they can keep tabs on everyone to tax. ", complained Martinez as he waited in the dining room.

"The town wuz built near the road to best serve the merchants and traders that come through. This castle thingy was built in the best place for strategery. It over looks the river, and the surrounding cliffs make it hard to assault directly. It's a solid ten to one fort for sure.", explained the half giant in a slow mocking manner as he devoured the bread on the table. His ten to one comment referenced an ancient military text that described the amount of attackers needed to overcome defenders behind well built fortifications.

"Hmm...I guess that makes sense. ", commented the duelist , ignoring the slight as he examined the expansive dining room. The duelist didn't know what to make of it. From the outside the sturdy keep appeared to be just another military installation, something that Martinez was very familiar with. He had expected a small dining area similar to the Orange inn they left, but was surprised at the almost palatial splendor of the inside. It wasn't overly gaudy , but decorated in an expensive but utilitarian design, similar to that of his homeland Darokin. Although the priestess had healed both Raoul and himself before they left , Martinez concluded that her magic must be flawed. He was certain that the inside of the keep was bigger then the outside, and attributed this paradox to his earlier blow to the head. As the duelist puzzled over the room's size he noted several banners, and trophies scattered tastefully around the room.

"The war banner of the Crab. ", noted Raoul as he noticed his boss's observation.

Martinez nodded. "I bet our senile old hostess will do some more name dropping about this banner. That's what tieflings do you know...lie. ", smirked the duelist, as he made known his distaste of the baroness's heritage.

"Name dropping?", the giant asked as he motioned for the serving boy to pour him another glass of wine.

"Oh you know. Like what she pulled at the inn. _Everyone worship me... I'm friends with Lord Quick... I'm the god daughter of the Emperor_. BULL CRAP! If she's so well connected, why is she in some back water little barony? I bet she will spin some wild tale that the Grand Champion Hida Franksada gave this to her. ", explained Martinez smugly.

"She told me that her uncle Frank gave the banner to her departed husband, a long time ago. ", defended the suddenly vocal serving boy.

Martinez nodded and pointed to the boy, " See ! She's definitely senile and delusional. Young... ",

"Jim.", replied the boy.

"I bet she'll spin some wild tale that connects her with the Grand Champion. Something along the lines of Lord Franksada giving her rides on his dragon, and letting her have tea with his talking sword. HAH! Young Jim here probably has a dozen tales to confirm that our hostess lives in her own little make believe world. ", explained the duelist.

Raoul shrugged, "She's a tiefling that's somehow a priestess, who is also an innkeeper and a baroness. We know that much about her. Sounds remarkable enough to me.", commented the giant as he finished the bread.

The serving girl Anna promptly came into the room , and replaced the bread and pitcher for the pair. "The Lady Stille will be joining you soon, she's had a long day with preparation for the funeral , then with the ...altercation at the inn. She bid's you to begin dinner without her. ", the young girl said before fearfully fleeing the room.

Young Jim brought rabbit soup , and some sort of local mushroom dish to the table. He served it clumsily but the famished demon hunters did not seem to mind.

"You think this might be poison?" , asked Raoul as he sniffed the food and then promptly disregarded his own warning and heartily ate his meal.

"Possibly, but if the Lady Stille wanted to get rid of us, she could have done so at the inn.", noted Martinez as he followed his companion's lead.

"Errr...A warning . Lady Stille will be joining you soon. She's taken a bath, and her appearance might shock you . She's normally forgoes applying her make up in the evening. ", cautioned young Jim.

The pair paused and looked at each other. Martinez began to chuckle. "I knew it! I knew it! Broads her age , especially tieflings, don't look that good without using magic...or a ton of make up. I bet she has to apply a half inch of foundation and mascara to get that smooth skin look she has. Even with make up, I still spotted crow's feet around her eyes. Don't tell me, she has her serving wench and a dozen strong men to squeeze her into a girdle every morning as well. I bet she looks hideous unless a small army of beauticians doll her up for the day. I'm getting the mental image of a sagging old prune with grey mold on top. ", laughed the duelist.

"That's a shame really. I think its pathetic for women to doll themselves up with too much make up . A little is fine, but too much just smacks of deception. Which is too bad, cuz I was really starting to feel the sparks with the baroness there. I mean you felt the sexual tension in the room, right? It's just too bad she's a tiefling. ", added Martinez.

Raoul ignored the last comment, and gave a "I don't care " shrug to his employer . " Nothing wrong with tieflings. They are victims of demons as much as anyone. There's a few bad ones, but we haven't had to kill any lately. Also women like to appear their best. Even the women of my tribe behave that way. I also don't think you are one to talk down about this practice of molding one's appearance. You are one of the few males that I know that apply make up as well. You also take more time grooming yourself then anyone I know. ", noted the half giant.

Young Jim paused at the last comment and stared at Martinez. The duelist suddenly felt uncomfortable at the attention of both the young serving boy and his large companion.

"Nonsense. I mean I do use scented oils for my hair, and a little exfoliation for my skin , but that's just common sense! I apply a little bit of concealer , but I have a slight skin rash so I need it. Is wearing powder and lip balm a crime? Its just one small indulgence I treat myself to . C'mon. Don't look at me like that. I bet you laugh at me trimming my eyebrows too right? And why do your nails by yourself, when you can have a professional do it once in a while? Everyone back home does it, and to tell the truth, the men of Grom would probably please their women more if they did it here as well. ", defended Martinez.

"I fully agree. I attempted to properly groom my husband several times , but his Grommish notions of what was manly stopped me . ", interrupted the baroness with a light smile as she entered the room.

Martinez and Raoul both stopped and their eyes almost popped out of the heads. They were expecting a weathered old lady, but instead found themselves facing a young woman with shoulder length light blue hair, matching striking blue eyes, perfectly smooth pale skin, framed by a youthful oval face. She wore a simpler version of the black dress she had earlier that seemed to accentuate her height, curves, and slim build. Despite Martinez's comments earlier, there was no signs of wrinkles marring the vision of grace before him.

The duelist was enthralled by the transformation of the old priestess. He had never seen a woman so lovely, let alone a tiefling. A part of his brain warned him that this wasn't natural. He seriously considered grabbing his crossbow , jumping behind the table , shouting "Succubus" as a waring to Jim and Raoul, then filling the beauty before him with holy bolts. Instead he rose from his chair , and bowed to the Lady Stille as she approached the table.

"Thank you. I bet not every day you get to dine with a withered old prune , with grey mold on top. ", she said dismissively.

* * *

Sir Rollo studied his maps carefully. He was sure his quarry was near the town of Strachen and it would only be a matter of time before his knights and the clerics of Koryis would corner him. The knight was careful though, he wanted to be sure there would be no escape route for this madman if he somehow evaded his initial attack.

The town of Xaber would be a possibility , the swamps around it would provide many areas for the madman to hide in, and it was sufficiently far away form the Devil's forest for the conjurer's magic to work correctly. The only disadvantage would be that it was the furthest community away, there would be a good chance his knights would intercept him if the magician fled in that direction.

The Shire of Buckwheat was another possibility. It was nearby and also out of the forest. It would be an easy escape for the conjurer, save for the fact that the entire community consisted of halflings. Even with illusions, the close knit community would notice a stranger in their midst.

The final and most likely exit would be the town of Veb. It was a few days travel and through the forest, but it would provide his quarry with the most places to hide. The area was at a crossroads , between the northern cities and the provincial capital of Lower Lueders. A strange face in town would be easily discounted. Rollo also considered the fact that the conjurer he was after seemed to be attracted to old ruins from the ancient Empire of the Sun. Several of his old lairs were near such ruins, and Rollo recalled a report listing Veb as having similar ruins.

The baron there should be informed to be alert just in case.

Rollo paused as a smile crept to his old lips as he recalled the current ruler. Corrections, the baroness should be informed, he thought wistfully.

The knight thought it would be prudent to warn his old friend, and wrote down his orders for Sir Jose to deliver. As he was scribbling , the flap to his tent opened.

The elder knight grimaced, he recalled leaving distinct orders not to be disturbed.

"What is it? ", he growled angrily.

The guard outside did not respond, instead an armored figure gracefully walked in.

Rollo's wrath subsided instantly as he recognized the lithe elven figure. The stern Lady Ogela, one of his oldest friends . The pair met when they were both squires of the Great Host. Rollo eventually became a knight of the Husky , while Ogela followed the path of the Narwhal. Though they remained friends through the years, Rollo found it disappointing their paths had not crossed more often.

"Ogela! It is an unexpected pleasure to see you! ", grinned Rollo as he reached for his canteen of Potato rye. The knight recalled that although she was an elf, Ogela had developed a taste for this harsh and potent spirit.

The elf smiled and approached Rollo. As she approached, the elf's footing faltered and she stumbled forward. Rollo noticed immediately that she was injured.

"What happened? Was it the conjurer? Did you come to warn me he's nearby?" , asked Rollo as he swiftly rushed forward to catch the wounded knight.

As Rollo caught her, the old knight felt a tingle down his spine. Even though she was as battle hardened as he was,the elf's soft skin, fresh forest scent, and deep brown eyes were intoxicating. Although they were always comrades, they had never been a couple. Rollo always had a soft spot for the graceful knight. Marriage was not prohibited for knights, but Sir Rollo never had time for it. He was always off on one quest or another , till he found himself old , weathered and alone. To gently embrace the stern but eternally youthful Ogela was something he never thought would happen.

Rollo expected the wounded elf to harshly push him away like she had always done, but instead she shuddered and huddled close to him. The grizzled knight instinctively held her tightly, as the elf nuzzled her soft cheek against his.

"Wait...", thought Rollo. "Something is wrong. Ogela never acted like this, she was more the punch her friends in the shoulder type instead of the cuddling type. Something isn't right. I can't put my finger on it , what could it be?"

As the hesitant knight pondered the strange situation, the lovely Ogela blew a chilly whisper into the old man's ear. Rollo lost all reservation , and kissed the elf deeply in return.

"Something isn't right, something is definitely wrong. ", thought the old knight as he eagerly tongue dueled his dearest friend. "I need to sit down, my strength is wavering. I'm feeling light headed, I'm losing my breath. ", the knight noticed , but disregarded his own observation when confronted with the willing elf.

"Sir Rollo? Sir Rollo? ", Sir Jose asked from outside.

"No one enters. ", replied a distant sounding guard.

"Something's not right here...I sense evil. Stand aside! ", demanded Sir Jose again. His response was greeted by war crys. Rollo assumed that for some reason his guards had attacked the young knight.

"You dare attack me ! Traitors ! " , shouted Jose in surprise .The sounds of a scuffle and the clanging of metal could then be heard outside.

Rollo wanted to tell his subordinate to leave, but found himself too weak to do so. The old knight wasn't sure what was going on, but he heard the clang of swords and a grunt of pain. Ogela noticed as well, the elf broke the embrace and flashed a toothy smile to Rollo.

"I don't remember her having fangs. Elves don't have fangs do they? ", thought the old knight as he slid helplessly to the ground.

Sir Jose charged into the tent and was shocked when he noticed the withered shell of Sir Rollo, and the elven temptress that stood above him. "GUARDS! GUARDS! FATHER EMILO! ", he instinctively shouted . The young knight wasn't sure what was going on , but raised his bloodied sword and charged.

Ogela jumped back with unnatural speed from Jose's holy blade. She swiftly slashed a talon at the young knight, but was skillfully parried in return . The elf hissed as the blade burned her claws , and scrambled backwards as the alarm was suddenly raised in the camp.

The elf gave an ear piercing shriek which made Jose take a step back. She then suddenly sprouted leathery wings and lept upwards, tearing a whole through the tent's roof.

"I don't remember her having wings . Elves don't have wings do they? ", thought the old knight as he succumbed to a chilling embrace.

* * *

"I know what you are thinking , so I will answer your questions before you embarrass yourselves attempting to work them into our conversation . ", sighed Stille as she took her seat.

"To begin with, let me restate the fact I am not a succubus, I am a tiefling. A generic name for anyone with obvious traces of infernal blood. From your gazes, I can tell you are taken back by my appearance. I admit it's flattering, but I can assure you that it is not on the same level as the demonic temptress we hunt. I know tieflings are generally considered unattractive, but I make no apologies for the way I appear. We are an extremely varied people, and being abnormal is definitely considered the norm for my race. Too many people know of my heritage to consider it a secret, but I try not to bring attention to it. Even after our legal rights were spelled out after the signing of the Zaxus Charter, tieflings are still a second class citizen in Grom. Despite my "pleasing" appearance, most humans think I am attempting to deceive them or put them off guard, while most tieflings resent my appearance and think I am working against them to keep them down. You can say I am an outcast to both groups. Most people in the barony have heard or suspect the nature of my bloodline, but few know the entire truth. I myself admit to not knowing it completely. My children, if you are wondering, appear completely human save for a slightly longer life span. It's also known that tiefling traits often vanish for generations before reappearing, or sometimes disappear completely. It's an inexact science. ", stated the baroness plainly.

Martinez didn't expect such an honest explanation, but found it hard not to stare at the beautiful baroness. He was unsure what to think at that moment. Attraction to the gorgeous creature in front of him, or revulsion because of her demonic heritage.

"Appearance aside, I thought tieflings age similar to humans. Maybe slightly longer lived, but very similar lifespans. Aren't you like a hundred or something?", commented Raoul, who seemed as interested about their hostess as Martinez, but for obviously different reasons.

"Correct. Not only am I over a hundred, but also a grandmother. It has puzzled me as well. When I was young I aged rapidly but I stopped when I reach the age of seven or eight, already a young adult. I doubt I am immortal, and suspect that I will probably continue aging at some time in the future. My condition is not unique though, many tieflings have been known to age at different rates through out their lives. ", answered the baroness as young Jimmy ladled her some soup.

"So how did a tiefling end up to be a baroness? I'm sure you have some grand tale. ", asked Martinez suspiciously, curious about how an attractive but still reviled creature like herself managed to become a baroness. He was already sure it had to do with lies, deceit , and possibly some sort of crime, but wanted to hear the baroness's version anyways. He found the guilty often let slip some of kernel of truth when questioned.

Lady Stille could see the duelist's suspicious intention but decided to answer anyways. She closed her eyes and reminisced about the past. A smile crept on her normally stern face. "I do not recall the beginning, but I do remember my mentor Lady Wayland rescuing me from a dreadful brothel when I was 2 or 3 years old. I was a wreck at first, I hardly spoke, but eventually the love that the priestess Wayland showed me allowed me to escape my shell. I was fortunate enough to have been adopted by two adoring parents. My father was an officer in the militia, and my mother was a simple minstrel. Before the great giant raids, my parents sent me to study in Grom City. Travel was difficult, and my guardian and I booked passage in a caravan. On the trip, I met Halvor , youngest son to the baron of Veb. He later became my husband , after a long and uneventful courtship . ", she said with a warm smile.

Martinez nodded. It wasn't what he had expected, but it made sense. The duelist drew up a scenario in his head about her background from information given. Both her adopted parents sounded like losers. Her mother was a barren simple no talent minstrel that got no where with her music, and her impotent father was stuck in a dead end job as an officer of the lowly milita. The regular orphanages probably saw that too, so the pair had to resort to going to a less picky tiefling orphanage. From the sounds of things, she managed to dig her claws into the witless youngest son of the baron at an early age. The young man was most likely booted from the barony , and could only find work as a caravan guard. With her slender foot then in the door of nobility, the cunning tiefling then somehow maneuvered or parlayed her husband's minor title into that of a baron. The duelist wasn't sure , but suspected some foul play was involved in the arrangement.

"Hmm...if he was the youngest son, how did he become the baron?", asked Martinez as he attempted to determine the exact nature of Stille's husband's rise to power.

"During the giant raids, most of his family was slain . He was the only worthy successor.", replied Stille with a hint of regret.

"How convenient. " , whispered softly Martinez to himself.

"Enough of me though. What about your own tales? You two are obviously foreigners...how did you two arrive in Grom and become demon hunters?", asked the baroness, who gave no indication if she heard the duelist's comment or not.

Raoul had seemingly ignored most of the conversation as he was engaged in stuffing his face, but surprisingly he was the first to answer. "My people are not native to this world . They told me they come from a harsh land of arid wastelands , deserts and demons. A land where magic corrupts the earth, and millions of slaves live and die on the whims of mage lords and dragon kings. I'm not sure how they arrived here, but they were immediately awed by the oceans they encountered . They don't have oceans apparently where they come from. Most became seafarers, and were surprisingly good at it. I'm not like most half giants however, I like to bash and whack stuff. I kind of follow the old ways of mind magic and demon stomping. Since Martinez actually pays me to do what I like, I find it to my benefit to follow him.", explained the giant, before starting to fill his maw again.

Lady Stille nodded in approval to the half giant's story and turned her gaze to Martinez. The duelist attempted to ignore her , but eventually relented .

"Ok..Ok...There's not much to tell. I grew up in the southern land of Darokin. You probably never heard of it. ", replied the suddenly sullen duelist.

"Land of the Merchant Lords, situated between the Mage Princes of Glantri , the Seven Shires, and of course Alfheim the Great. ", noted Stille.

Martinez gave her an annoyed look but continued , "Yeah..that place. Well my parents got gobbled up by some type of demon critter when I was young. Not sure if it was from Glantri or Alfheim come to think of it. So I guess you can call me an orphan too. This didn't spur me to take vengeance on demons or anything silly like that , but it did put me in a precarious financial situation. Like most orphans I wasn't given the golden ticket of adoption and was lawfully recruited into the Second Banner of the first Darokin legion. There they trained me as a scout, specifically to hunt magical monsters and...you guessed it demons. Although the Legions of Darokin are not a famous military organization like the Dwarven Hearth Guard , the Knights of the North, the Third Army of Grom , or even the 3rd Exercitus of Thyatis, we have street cred and we get the job done. I battled all sorts of critters and bad guys during my two tours. When I mustered out, I just continued to do what I do best, that is hunt demons. I would have preferred to stay in the south , its a lot warmer, but there's a lot of work up here, so here I am. ", shrugged the duelist.

"You mean you followed the money. Like a true mercenary. How...what's the word I'm looking for...oh yes... _convenient_. ", said Stille offhandedly in response to the earlier comment muttered by the duelist.

Martinez grimaced and tensed, but then relaxed. "Look lady tiefling, we didn't all get to be adopted by minor nobles. Some of us work for a living. I know its all nice and dandy living in your castle, playing innkeeper when you feel like it, but the world's a tough place. Especially now. The current military operations against the gnomes have not only brought hardship here, but pretty much everywhere in the world. Demons and other long banished creatures are opportunistic little shits and plague the land when they see an opening. You probably don't think much or our skill sets but me and Raoul here could be doing a dozen other jobs right now. Jobs that are significantly safer and pays just as much if not more. I admit the cash is a big part of it, but we hunt demons cuz someone has to and we're good at it. People like us , keep people like you , in your fancy schmancy keeps.", the duelist stated coldly.

Stille burned with anger and was about to shout something back in return, but young Jim interrupted. "Don't talk about Lady Stille that way! She's kept the barony safe and sound since the old baron left. Everyone in the village knows the sacrifices she has made, and the things she's done for the barony. She rules fairly, educate the children, drive away monsters...help the poor. You just have to look at the neighboring townships to see what a great job she's done. She's even kept the place together when her son went to war. She's the most respected woman in town. ", choked the young boy in the baroness's defense.

"That's enough Jim.", said the Lady Stille softly. She then turned to Raoul and Martinez. "I apologize for my rude comment earlier. It is not my place to judge you especially since you've decided to aid my barony on a problem I can not solve myself. If Father Emilo of the Clerics of Koryis deem you worthy enough to aid me, I should be treating you with more respect.", she stated.

Martinez's hostility faded as well. "No, that was my fault. I have a bad habit of starting trouble when I shouldn't. Let's just forget the whole thing. ", stammered the duelist as he returned his attention to the food.

Stille nodded her head, and quietly finished her meal as well. Although the room was quiet save for the noisy sounds of Raoul eating, the tension had lifted from it. As the food vanished , the serving girl Anna returned with some form of lichen berry pie. She hastily served it before leaving the room again .

"Anna, please sit with us. There's no need to eat in the servant's area. ", pleaded Stille as the pleasant looking but gap toothed girl nervously retreated. "I'm sorry , she's still shaken up about earlier. She's a very sensitive girl." , explained the baroness.

Martinez shrugged, "It's probably for the best, you don't want the servants eating with the high class anyways. It sets a bad precedent. ", scoffed the duelist, completely forgetting the fact that in most situations he would not be considered high class , or a person with any class for that matter.

Stille's eyes narrowed coldly, "You realize that Anna is my daughter in law. In fact , she's the true Baroness of Veb. I relinquish my claim to it when my son came of age. They only refer to me as baroness out of respect and habit. "

Martinez squirmed in his seat and found he was at a lost for words.

"Foot in your mouth again boss? Doesn't matter where we go , you have a knack of insulting anyone of worth", snickered the half giant.

Although the duelist was thoroughly embarrassed, he found himself greatly offended by Raoul's comment. "Hey I don't have to take that from you! I pay you to make me look good, not to make fun of me!"

"Actually you pay me to carry your stuff, and more imporantly to distract the monsters so you can stab them in the back. ", corrected the half giant.

Martinez fumed and was about to say something most likely stupid, before Raoul offered a compromise, "Hey I'll tell you what. Let's renegotiate. I'll stop insulting you , if I don't have to carry your stuff anymore. That is if you think your in good enough shape to. You are getting a bit flabby I've noticed.", chuckled the half giant.

"Done! Carrying my own gear is nothing new to me. Its a small price to pay to silence your venomous tongue. ", declared Martinez indignantly.

* * *

Young Jimmy cleaned the tables, and prepared the rooms for the two strangers. From their conversation , it sounded like they both had long tiring days, but neither appeared tired. The demon hunters busily poured over maps and texts the Lady Stille brought them , as Jim finished his duties. The gruff half giant Raoul seemed immersed with the charts and books, while the younger duelist Martinez scribbled occasionally into a notebook ,while glancing outside the window towards the road leading to town.

"You should stay here tonight Jimmy. Its dangerous to travel now. Its almost dark and the...creature is still out.", commented the fair Anna carefully as he paid Jim his monthly wages.

Jimmy shrugged as he packed the left overs of the meal for his brother's family. "The demon is said to hunt both during the day and the night. It won't be anymore dangerous if I returned now. Besides , my family is waiting. ", replied the young boy.

Anna sighed and kissed Jim on the head, and slipped an extra loaf of bread into his pack. "Be careful. ", she whispered as the boy left the keep.

Throughout the village, Jimmy was noted as a dependable and hard worker. Even though he was young, he was forced into odd jobs for the local towns folk and for the Lady Stille to make ends meet. His father abandoned his family years ago, and his mother drank herself to death in a long drawn out decline afterwards. His older brother and his wife accommodated him since then , but Jim could tell they did it reluctantly. They were a poor family, and the current crusade made it hard for them to make ends meet . Despite his hardships, Jim worked various odd jobs for the towns folk to help them get by. The general consensus was he was a reliable young man that would do anything asked of him without complaint.

As Jim walked back to town, he frowned as he considered his situation. He didn't want to be a burden on anyone. He wanted to be someone of worth. The townsfolk often spoke of happier more prosperous times, but Jimmy was too young to have experienced them. He saw nothing but despair if he stayed in this dead end town. He had no useful skills. The trades folk in town already had apprentices. He was proud that he had gained the Lady Stille's trust and confidence but even her generosity could not shed hope into his grim future. He did not want to be a house servant for the rest of his life.

The two men he met today were different. They seemed like ruffians, but the Lady Stille afforded them a measure of respect. Despite their appearance, they obviously had skills that set them apart from regular men. Anna mentioned they were demon hunters , and the very thought of hunting a diabolical creature sent chills down Jimmy's spine. Jimmy wondered what it took to do ...

"HEY YOU!", barked a hoarse voice from the side of the road. Young Jim stopped when he saw a fat bald man sporting a large scar and several other dirty and rough looking thugs rise from behind a fallen log. Jim knew everyone in town and the surrounding countryside, but had never seen these men before.

As Jim stared at these strangers, two large hands suddenly clasped his arms from behind.

"GOTCHA!", cackled his captors as he assaulted Jim's nose with his foul odor and even worse breath.

"I told ya this town was ripe for the pickens. ", boasted the bald man as he swiftly swiped Jim's pack and began rifling his pockets. Jim struggled and squirm but the man with the bad breath was too strong for him to resist.

"I doubt this runt has anything of use. We should just knock over a couple of the outlying houses, and leave before the milita comes after us. ", scoffed Jim's smelly captor.

"I doubt this town's guards are of any threat. They can't even handle the local forest bogey man. Hah! A bag full of food, and what do we have here, a purse full of silver coin. This little runt is rich !", declared the bald man.

The foul breath man dropped Jim unceremoniously , as he and several other thugs crowded around the bald man and stared at his find. "Silver? This little runt is loaded !", he declared as he turned his attention back to Jim.

"Hey give that back! ", snarled Jim angrily. He worked hard for that coin and wasn't about to have it stolen. Most of it would go to support his brother's family the rest was to go to his own fund. Some money which he could use to escape his current existence.

The foul breathed man simply slapped the young boy , and sent him crashing to the ground. "Hey this town is richer then I thought, we'll make some nice coin for a change. ", he scoffed to his fellows.

Jimmy slowly rose from the ground and fearfully crept away.

The bald man lunged at him, and swiftly grabbed the small boy . He then held a knife to his throat. "Ahh no you don't . You ain't gonna warn the militia , not till we have our fun. Not that we mind , guards haven't been able to stop us yet. ", boasted the man as he pointed to what appeared to be several scalps at his belt.

Jim was paralyzed with fear. Bandits almost never came to Veb, but there were rumors they were roaming on the roads beyond the borders of the barony. The young boy never thought they would operate so close to town. He wanted to warn to escape to warn the guard , warn the town, warn the baroness...anyone, but he found himself simply staring at the dull gleaming blade.

"These are the guys you spotted from the keep right? I don't think these guys are charmed. Or if they are, they were given fairly odd commands. I don't think a succubus would tip her hand by having her minions way lay the soup boy. ", said a low rumbling disappointed voice from the shadows.

"Hmm.. You might be right. They have that dull glaze over their eyes, but I think that's due to stupidity , not magic. A pity though, I hoped this job would be quick and clean. We could be sleeping, but alas...my desire for a fast pay day dragged us out here instead. ", commented an unseen voice.

"Who's there! Don't screw with us! Show yourself or we'll stick this kid like a pig !", warned the fat bald man to the darkness. A panicked gasp came from the shadows, and soft mumbled whispers echoed from the trees.

"Ok, ok...we're here to handle demons, not bandits, but as a courtesy to the baroness here. Ooops did I say baroness...I mean to say our mysterious tag along companion here... let's negotiate for the kid's release.", answered a thin man as he stepped out of the darkness. The man raised his hands to show they were empty and smiled in a friendly manner. He was dressed like a down on his luck nobleman, and did not appear to have any weapons on him.

"Ok , Let's not do anything rash. Let the kid go, and my companions and I will let you leave this barony with your teeth intact. ", the man said confidently .

The bald man snarled, but suddenly yelped in surprise as young Jim slammed the heel of his foot into the man's foot. The bald man roared in pain and brought his knife down towards the fleeing Jim's back. Before his knife sliced the boy, a dagger slammed into his throat and sent him faltering then falling on his back.

The bandits reacted chaotically to this turn of events. A pair of men ran fled down the road at the first sign of violence. Three other bandits rushed the thin man, who reacted swiftly by seemingly producing a bulky crossbow from thin air. In a smooth motion, he aimed, fired, aimed, fired , dropping two of his attackers effortlessly. The third bandit reached him as an audible *snick* from the crossbow produced a foot and a half long bayonet from its stock. It stopped the man in his tracks, as it buried itself into his gut. The man with the foul breath seemed disorientated at first , but roared and rushed the shocked Jimmy. He was intercepted by a wall of muscle before he could grab the boy as a hostage though. A huge slab like fist battered his chest and the sound of cracking ribs filled the air, as he crumpled into a heap on the ground.

As swiftly as the skirmish began, it was over.

"Stop ! Stop ! That was over kill! ", exclaimed the Lady Stille as she exited the darkness. She looked as she did during dinner, save for her now grey hair. The woman ran to the stunned young Jim to see if he was injured.

The duelist shrugged, as he methodically cleaned his crossbow. "Look lady. Scalps. These guys mean buisness. They killed before, and they were most likely gonna kill again. Do you want us to go after the pair that ran?",asked Martinez with a bored yawn.

"No...Yes...No...I'll send Sergent Taylor to catch them. There's no more need for bloodshed. ", replied Stille. She didn't seem shock by the violence but there was a deep sense of regret in her.

"Look, its not your fault. It's the way the world is now a days. Army goes south to fight gnomes . Economy suffers. People decide that banditry is a proper vocation, especially when the people that would normally stop them aren't there anymore. Its the same reason demons are popping up all over. Too many bad guys...not enough good guys.", explained Martinez with a frown.

The Lady Stille made no outward reply or acknowledgement to the duelist's simplistic view, but considered his comments carefully. She instead busied herself , as she checked to see if Jim was alright.

"Jimmy , Jimmy! Did they hurt you?", she asked the stunned and dazed boy.

Jimmy took in the carnage around him, then faced the concerned baroness, "THAT WAS AMAZING!", he beamed, as he decided then and there his path in life.


	4. Chapter 4

"How is he?", asked the young knight, Sir Jose, grimly to the much older battle scarred father Emilo.

The cleric shook his head and sighed, "It's not good. He's on deaths door, and my magic is unable to revive him. It's a miracle you were able to drive that creature off before she finished him." . The recent attack made against their leader, Sir Rollo, was swift and brutal.

Sir Jose shook his head. "I'm not sure your assessment of the situation is correct. The demon could have killed him at her leisure, especially when I was taking time subduing the guards she charmed. The creature was quite content in leaving Sir Rollo in this state instead of slaying him outright. It was playing with us. ", spat the young knight angrily.

"The creature was taunting us then?", asked the older cleric in surprise.

Even though Sir Jose was much younger then Father Emilo, his experience in dealing with demons was quite vast. He had served under Sir Rollo for almost six years now , and fought the denizens of the abyss on many occasions. The young knight shuddered at the sight of his dying and helpless mentor.

"I do not know if this creature is related to the conjurer we are hunting. I do know it is beyond our capability to handle. Even with his training, his protective enchantments, and his divine grace, this demon was able to break down his defenses and enthrall brave Sir Rollo. The rest of us would be hard pressed to defeat it unless we can somehow bring our full force of arms and magic to bear . ", noted the knight.

Sir Emilo was at a loss, they were so close to apprehending the conjurer that had been plaguing the land just to be thrown into confusion by this seemingly random attack. "So what now. I guess you are in charge now Jose.", nodded the cleric.

Sir Jose sighed. He did not want his first command to start like this. Regardless of his wishes, he was ready for it, and his actions would not shame his mentor. "We give up the hunt for now. I suspect that it is indeed in league with our prey. With a single attack it has brought our search to a halt. It knows the resources we need to divert to healing our wounded will slow us down. This attack also has me questioning if we can defeat this conjurer with our current forces. ", stated the knight.

"So we give up? Retreat? Run away? Will Rollo's death be in vain? ", despaired Father Emilo in disbelief.

"Of course not! ", replied Jose in an irritated voice. He was in charge for a mere two minutes and already he was being questioned . Sir Emilo was from the Priesthood of Koryis and not the Order of the Husky , so the young knight forgave his transgression. Jose took a deep breath and calmed down before confronting the older cleric again. " We will have to postpone our hunt, but not for long. We will be back on the trail of the conjurer soon enough. Our foe is clever, but he apparently doesn't know this area as well us. Look, Sir Rollo isn't dead yet and even though you are unable to revive him, that doesn't mean no one in the area can."

"Priestess Stille! ", exclaimed the old priest. " She's one of the more powerful clerics of Koryis, and she lives nearby. Four days march , or two days ride if we go on horseback and bring spare mounts. "

"One day, I will use my holy mount Greenpaw to take us there. He is tireless like our order and will get Rollo there in time. You will take charge of the rest of the knights and priests and meet us at her barony. ", commanded Jose.

"I've never met the powerful Lady Stille, I've only heard of her from Sir Rollo. I will need a letter of introduction to explain our situation . ", added the young knight.

"Of course. Let me write one right away. It shouldn't be a problem though, Lady Stille is always friendly and helpful. I've also kept correspondence with her over the years, and recently referred some trackers to assist her. She's also an old friend with Sir Rollo. Not only will she revive him , but she would surely lend her might to our cause.", stated Emilo as he prepared the proper papers for Jose.

Jose shook his head, "I will not recruit old women to fight our battles for us. I will however accept any charms and magical aid she can lend me ."

Emilo looked puzzled and then smirked, "Oh...about that. I guess you never met Lady Stille before. Ummm.. a word of advice. Try not to get caught staring .", whistled the old Cleric slyly.

* * *

"Damn...this gear is ...oof...heavy. ", complained Martinez as he hefted the large pack over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Its really heavy , but you are a doing a tremendous job at carrying it. ", commented Raoul as he sniffed the air.

Martinez growled at the half giant, but he wasn't going to let him have the last laugh. They renegotiated their working agreement last night, and he sure as hell wasn't going to crawl back to the bargaining table. The pack was heavy, but he carried more and through worse. It was just one more obstacle to over come for the determined duelist.

"So boss. Why did we leave so early again? We could have had a proper breakfast first, but all we got was some fruit. ", commented the half giant. Raoul figured it was close to 6 am, so early that the Lady Anna did not have time to bake the morning's bread. The half giant also noted there was no left overs from yesterday, but just assumed that the servant boy must have taken them. "Oh ...fruit by the way?", asked Raoul as he offered an apple to the struggling Martinez.

The duelist brushed the offering aside and marched methodically. "For one thing, The faster we kill this demon bitch, the less likely it will kill again. Also we don't get paid by the hour, we get paid per job. Faster we get this done, faster we leave this dump. "

"Dump?", protested Lady Stille as she appeared from the shadows beside them. She was fully geared in an ornate black breast plate complete with a thorny rose motif, while wearing dark chain slacks. Her hair was once again grey and her wrinkles skillfully reapplied. She had a broadsword in a dark leather scabbard at her side, and a heavy shield with the Veb coat of arms on her back. Martinez noted that she carried her gear with ease, and the duelist wondered if they were constructed of some form of magical light weight material or if she inherited infernal strength from her bloodline.

"Oh, that's the third reason. I thought we could get this done without some young nosy know it all watching our backs. ", smirked Martinez, while motioning his head to the baroness.

"For the last time, I'm over a hundred. I can be your great grandmother for Koryis's sake. Also, while I have full confidence in your abilities, this Barony is my responsibility and I will not hide behind the keeps walls from this intruder. The encounter with the bandits last night convinced me that I must take a more active role in my lands defense. I've also dealt with demons , specifically succubus before and this one is ...different. ", commented Stille in her best non confrontational voice.

"Oh? You've dealt with succubus before? You're a professional I take it? Maybe we should follow you. ", replied Martinez as he continued his burdened march.

Stille frowned . She didn't want the pair of them to argue like last night, but she clearly hit a nerve with the duelist. She assumed she had wounded his professional pride. "You know I can't track this creature . I have some wood lore but can only track large groups or careless quarry. I need your skills for this. ", replied Stille in her most tactful manner.

"Considerable skills! Martinez is the best demon hunter in the land !", noted Raoul, careful to honor his portion of the new agreement.

Stille nodded, "I am sure he is. On the subject of succubus though, I've dealt with enough of them to know what I'm dealing with. Evil , chaotic, selfish creatures that can enthrall both men and women with their magic. Despite their obvious faults, I've found that they do not generally seek out violence unless they are compelled to by a master. Even then its a rare occurrence, since a magician that can summon a succubus could summon something more suited for battle. Succubus are normally summoned if subterfuge is required, or as a status symbol for a wizard. ", noted the baroness.

"Hmmm...I thought wizards summon them for ...err sex. ", puzzled Raoul.

"That's the last thing a wizard wants with them, unless they are insane. Succubus drain your life from any sexual contact. Even a simple kiss will trigger it. Only a fool or mad man would summon a succubus for that purpose. ", noted Martinez , as he nodded to the baroness in acknowledgement to her demonic lore.

Raoul shrugged, "Hey I just sniff them out. I don't talk to them."

"A shame though. Succubus are quite talkative and friendly if given a chance. Its all a ruse to gain an advantage though, but I have met a few that seemed pleasant enough despite their ulterior goals. ", continued Stille.

"Oh really?", asked Martinez suddenly curious , not only about benign succubus, but about the lovely lady Stille and a succubus making pleasant contact with each other.

"Stop ! ", growled Raoul as Stille began to answer. The small group froze as the half giant crouched down and began smelling the area.

"This forest makes tracking a demon's scent difficult but not impossible. ", the half giant explained as he sniffed the surrounding area like some giant two legged blood hound. "Yes ..I have a slight scent alright. "

"Weapons? ", asked Martinez , tensed and ready for action.

"Possibly but doubtful. Its an old trail, I guess a day , but you can't be too sure. Sometimes they double back. ", replied the giant as he examined the area thoroughly. Finally he beckoned the baroness and the duelist to follow as they headed in a path , tangent to their original direction.

"I've never had too many dealings with demons that didn't end up with someone dead. It shouldn't surprise me that someone with a tiefling heritage can establish peaceful contact with evil outsiders. No offense . ", remarked Martinez.

Stille shrugged. "Being a tiefling has nothing to do with it. My father ,who is a human, has known many "evil outsiders". Some of them he considers close friends. ", stated the baroness.

Raoul stopped and turned to Stille. "Really? I didn't think that was possible. I always assumed it was them versus us. ", remarked the giant in disbelief before returning to his task.

"Your father was buddies with demons huh? The same one that's an officer in the militia? You ever bother to think that maybe he was some type of practitioner of thaumaturgy. That would explain why he had no reservations about adopting you. Or more likely , he might have been telling a tall tale to impress you? No offense again. ", replied Martinez in clear disbelief over the baroness's claim.

"Believe what you like. I'm just stating the fact that most creature's from the lower planes can be reasoned with. I won't be naive and claim they are friendly and are misunderstood, I'm just saying that they are not brainless brutes. Unless forced into violence by their summoner , most of them will consider an alternate path . A small minority of them could be considered feral , and they will attack anything, but the majority will certainly seek to seize advantage or dishonor any negotiations. I am just offering a different option then the shoot first ask questions later policy you two have apparently mastered. Even the mightiest pitfiend might consider talk over weapons. ", the priestess said with conviction.

"Oh...So you've met a pitfiend have you? Did he serve you tea and cookies? Sheesh...you should listen to yourself. Making deals and having pleasant chats with demons! Do you know how ridiculous you sound! ", declared Martinez shaking his head.

"It was Popcorn. ", mumbled the baroness nostalgically.

* * *

In the distant past at the great Coliseum.

"Want anything Hush?", asked a small red imp to the young blue hair girl over the roar of a jubilant arena crowd.

"Hmm...maybe some of that hot corn stuff. A small scoop please. Really small. No salt , no butter. ", beamed the tiny girl politely to her father's shape changed familiar.

"Screw that. Get the extra large jumbo super sized container. Extra butter and salt, with a side of butter and salt. ", corrected her large half elf body guard.

* * *

" Our current prey , however, does not seem to be able to resolve this conflict diplomatically ,I'm afraid. That's the reason I summoned the cleric's of Koryis, and they in turn summoned you. I would prefer to talk rather then fight, but I concede that the prey we hunt must be put down like a mad dog. ", relented Stille as her happy memories faded.

Martinez beamed as if he had won a victory. "Now you're speaking my lingo baroness."

* * *

The sage Loric gazed enthusiastically at the town in front of him. Thoughts of uncovering ancient mysteries and discovering lost magic danced in his head. This unremarkable village was shrouded in history and legends, and he hoped that the end of his long quest for knowledge would end here.

As he walked towards the humble collection of buildings he noticed various wards through out the outskirts . From a cursory examination , the sage determined most were simple totems and symbols drawn by superstitious peasants, but some were carved and enchanted skillfully by a priest or a magician. Most towns had some protections, but the amount present was highly unusual. Something wasn't right he thought.

As Loric approached the inn, he was greeted by a pleasant young woman busy doing chores. As he drew closer the girl smiled an elegant smile at the sage. "Welcome to the Inn of the Orange Hero. I am Anna, how can I be of service to you?".

The sage noted the girl's warm demeanor and was instantly put in a good mood, "Greetings fair lady Anna. ", he said with an embellished bow, which drew giggles from the young woman. "I have traveled a long ways to reach your village. I wish to rent a room, possibly for several days if things work out. Nothing fancy , just private if one is available. ", requested Loric.

"Of course, I will prepare your chambers at once. In the meantime, would you be interested in a light breakfast. I have fresh bread baked. ", suggested Anna.

"Wonderful .", nodded the sage as he agreed heartily to her offer.

As the sage ate the hot fresh bread, he stared at the quiet town. "If you don't mind me asking. What's with the wards around the town? A local ghost or spirit? Or something more dire?", asked the sage between bites and commenting about Anna's lovely unique smile.

Anna shook her head solemnly. "Its much worse then that. There's a demon in the forest. It has been indiscriminately preying on our people. The ... baroness has so far been unable to repel the creature. ", replied the barmaid with shame and fear in her voice.

"That's dreadful ! Fear not though, I am the sage Loric. I may not be the world's greatest wizard, but my magic is formidable. Perhaps i can offer my service to your baroness to assist in ridding your town of this demon.", volunteered the sage proudly, much to the delight of Anna.

* * *

"Stop! ", growled Raoul again.

Stille and Martinez both froze again at the half giant's command.

"We're being followed, by something very skilled at hiding. Possibly invisible. ", warned Raoul.

Martinez relaxed . "One small humanoid approximately 100 feet behind us. I think its young Jim. ", chuckled the duelist.

Raoul frowned, "You already knew that? Err I mean...your perception is keen and sharp as usual master. ", replied the half giant.

"What! Why is Jimmy following us! Why didn't you say anything !", demanded Stille.

"Wait a second..wait a second. I thought he was following us, cuz you wanted him to. I was expecting him to serve us lunch or something. ", shrugged Martinez at the now concerned and worried Stille.

"Jimmy! Jimmy! Come out right now! ", shouted the baroness . Martinez made a motion for her to stay quiet but it was too late.

At first there was no reaction to the baroness's demand, then a movement in the brush, and then a reluctant young boy appeared. Stille ran up to him to make sure if he was ok.

"Jimmy! What are you doing here? The woods are dangerous enough without the demon about ! ", demanded the baroness sternly after she determined the young boy was fine.

"I...I wanted to learn demon hunting. ", explained the embarrassed boy.

"That's ridiculous. It's too dangerous for you! Why would anyone want to become a ruffian like these two? No offense. ", responded Stille in a calmer voice.

Raoul and Martinez both shrugged at the comment. The pair often wondered that themselves.

"I just want a way out...I love it here, but I've always felt my place isn't here. I..I...oh never mind. I'm sorry Lady Stille. ", apologized the dejected boy.

Martinez nodded and patted the boy on the head. "I think I know what young Jim here is trying to say. He want's to learn a sexy vocation that's full of adventure and excitement. Nobody wants to be a boring butler, he wants to be something he can be proud of , like a demon hunter. "

Jimmy looked up surprised and nodded his head, unsure of what he thought he just heard.

"Well young man. I don't accept apprentices, but in your case I'll make an exception. How about we try this on a trial basis. We'll see how you fare. ", declared Martinez smugly.

Jimmy stared at the duelist in disbelief. Then quickly nodded his head in agreement. "I won't disappoint you sir! I'll be the hardest working , bestest demon hunter's apprentice you'll ever find !", sputtered the boy.

Stille's eyes narrowed. She grabbed the duelist, by the cuff of his collar and dragged him behind a tree. "What are you thinking! He's still a child. This isn't a game, we are hunting demons! An especially dangerous one I might add. He'll get killed at the first sign of trouble !", fumed the baroness angrily.

Martinez smiled sly. "Relax princess. I maybe ruthless, but I'm not heartless. Look, I don't want the kid hanging around as much as you. However, we are in the middle of a monster filled forest and I can't just send him home alone . Although I would love to continue our hunt, I'm not gonna endanger any innocents , especially kids. So regrettably we will have to go back to town. In the mean time I'll humor him and I'll make his life miserable, so he'll never want to go demon hunting again. I bet after last night's skirmish he thinks its all fun and games, swashbuckling and derring do, but I'll knock some sense into him soon. It's a days delay , but its preferable to getting a fool hardy kid killed. " , explained the duelist.

Stille processed the rambling explanation then smiled. "My apologies. I understand now. Wouldn't sending Jimmy back with me be more efficient? I'm sure you would like to get rid of both of us. ", she asked curiously.

Martinez chuckled, "Honestly. I don't trust either of you to survive in the forest by yourselves.".

Before Lady Stille could reply, Martinez stepped out from the tree. "So young Jim. I mean , my loyal apprentice. Are you ready for some real demon hunter work?"

"Yes sir! ", saluted Jimmy with his best impersonation of Sergeant Taylor.

"Excellent ! ", responded Martinez, as he dropped his heavy pack onto the small boy's shoulders.


	5. Chapter 5

"This tree...this tree is different. ", mumbled Loric the sage as he examined an ancient withered trunk in the middle of the town.

"Oh...that's been there for ages, maybe decades. ", responded Anna. The servant girl had volunteered to guide the sage to the various ruins on the outskirts of town. Almost as soon as they began, the sage had noticed a peculiar looking tree and was completely fascinated by it. It appeared gnarled, twisted and partially burnt.

"Why hasn't anyone removed this eyesore ?", inquired the sage as he intoned a few divination spells.

Anna pondered the question. "Hmm...Maybe...No...Honestly, now that I think about it. I'm not sure.", was her best reply.

"Interesting, I did not notice this tree when I first entered the town, and it does not seem to radiate any magic. This is the type of anomaly I normally make note of , but somehow it escaped my attention. ", commented Loric.

"Hey...it will be getting dark soon. If you want to see the ruins you should follow me. There's a demon about, so we best make haste. What are you staring at again?", asked Anna.

The sage looked at Anna carefully, "This burned out tree. ", he said suspiciously.

"Oh...that's been there for ages, maybe decades. ", responded Anna , seeming to forget the conversation she had moments earlier.

Loric repeated the words tree, remember , tree, remember rapidly through his head. It was a simple mnemonic trick to help him recall that a tree should be foremost in his thoughts. The sage then studied his guide. She was a young woman, most likely in her mid 20s. She was lovely in a simple unassuming way. Her teeth were slightly parted, but it gave her an honest rustic look. Despite her lowly job, he was certain from her behavior that she had aristocratic blood in her. From his recent conversations with her, she seemed quite knowledgeable in history, current events, and the underlying political atmosphere. Anna did not seem like a fool to Loric , but her double reaction to the tree was unexpected.

"Before we depart, may you permit me to cast a ward on you? I fear this talk of demons has made me paranoid, and I wish to take the utmost caution before we proceed. ", asked the sage. He knew that the casting of spells on others was considered a grave insult if permission is not given, even unwanted benign spells are against numerous local and provincial laws.

Anna nodded in agreement, unsure if any wards would work on the demon plaguing Veb.

Loric intoned a few words to the serving girl, and awaited her reaction.

"Oh...this tree. I forgot all about it. I think I mentioned it earlier, but it really isn't that special. It's quite unremarkable actually. ", stammered Anna. Loric peered at her cautiously and waited. "Oh ... we should move on.

Loric blinked and wondered why they were there. They should be on the move to the ruins. He then blinked and recalled his mnemonic chant. Tree, remember, Tree remember. The sage then smiled as he gazed clearly at an ancient burned out tree.

* * *

"huff Why are we heading back towards town? huff", grunted young Jim as he strained with the heavy pack. Although the pack was much more weight then he was accustomed to, the young boy shouldered it without complaint. Stille wanted to split the load with him, but Martinez stopped her and shook his head . It was all a part of the duelist's plan to dissuade Jimmy from his dubious career choice.

"It's called a sweep pattern. We are combing this area carefully for signs of the demon.", lied Martinez.

"huff How will we know if we get close to it ? I heard this creature can shape change , maybe even go invisible. ", pondered Jimmy.

Stille raised an eyebrow , the question piqued her curiosity as well. " That's a good question. ", agreed the baroness.

"Demons have their tricks, but we have ours. Due to the nature of this forest , this entire area has a faint aura of evil. So we won't be able to use simple detection magic to find it. Evil outsiders have a diverse array of scents, but most either smell of brimstone, carrion or blood. Our particular prey does have a strong brimstone aroma to it. Which is unusual for a succubus I might add. ", answered Raoul with a shrug.

"Have you found hard evidence of its presence?", inquired Stille.

"Nah ... I was smelling the recent graves at the cemetery earlier. ", grunted Raoul.

"Errr...what does brimstone smell like? Just so I know what to sniff for. ", puzzled Jimmy.

"Smoke , charcoal, sulfur, and ash. A combination of the four. ", beamed Martinez with a smile. "Raoul is correct, most evil outsiders have some brimstone smell to them. Even our nosy baroness here has a slight scent of it. It's very faint on her , almost like a scented candle smell actually , in contrast to the smoke heavy , more sulfurous smell of our prey . ", the duelist noted to Stille's discomfort.

Raoul nodded in agreement, then dug something from his pocket. He retrieved a small vial and opened it for Jimmy. The young boy took a whiff and grimaced at the stench.

"UUgggh. ", gagged the boy, "I won't forget that smell. ", he mumbled after he took a few deep breaths.

"We keep that to mask our scent sometimes. Most demon's can smell pretty good as well. We sometimes use that to make sure they don't smell Martinez's perfumes. Errr...I mean Martinez's articulated scent while we are sneaking up to them. ", chuckled the half giant.

Martinez was not amused and considered kicking Raoul in retaliation, however Stille giggled at the jest and the duelist thought some attention was better then no attention from the lovely baroness. The duelist noted the doting attention that Stille gave to Jimmy and he wondered how he could use that to his advantage.

"So Jimmy, if you're gonna be a demon hunter, you need a more impressive name. ", stated the duelist as he decided that he'll go for the good guy big brother approach to get in good graces with the lovely baroness.

"Huh? What's wrong with Jimmy ?", the boy asked curiously, ignoring the weight of the bags from the odd comment.

" His real name is James Neal, I do not find it any less heroic or stirring, then let's say Martinez..or Raoul. ", defended Stille stiffly .

Martinez didn't like where this was going, but he was unfazed by the unexpected comment. "I agree if we were in my homeland of Darokin. Martinez and Raoul are common enough, but up here it is exotic sounding. I've met a lot of Martins, but so far no other Martinez. ", smiled the duelist.

"So how about Jimm-ez. Is that exotic sounding enough?", replied an unimpressed Stille. Jimmy laughed openly at the jab, while Raoul attempted unsuccessfully to stifle a chortle.

The duelist knew he wasn't going to score points with the baroness this way, but continued anyways just to make a point. "I'm serious. If young Jim wants to be a hero, he will need a heroic name. Or something rustic and intimidating. I've heard some of the northern knights are named for the tasks they are best at. Maybe Jimmy here will be named Slayer, Banisher, or something along those lines.", argued Martinez.

Now the baroness laughed at the duelist. "I've known many heroes, and most do not have epic sounding names. It's true that many northern communities adopt that particular naming convention, however most of them are named by their more mundane tasks they perform. Butcher, Miller, Smithson...are all good examples. In some of the smaller communities they drop the last name all together . Believe it or not , when I was little, they called me Hush, because I had so little to say. My father was unfortunately named after his ability to retrieve water. I don't think Jimmy here wishes to be called Porter or Bagswell or anything like that do you?", teased Stille.

Jimmy shook his head vigorously at the notion.

Martinez paused as he considered the information he just gleaned about Stille. He once heard the legendary Warmaster Fetch was also named for his ability to retrieve water. He quickly dismissed the notion that the baroness and the Warmaster were in any ways related. She already told him that her father was a simple militia officer. Martinez was about to comment further, when he noticed that the baroness was smiling at the simple and trivial conversation they just had. The duelist grinned as the purpose of this little conversation was accomplished.

"We should make camp here. Rest for the night before striking out for town. ", ordered Martinez. Raoul looked at his boss and frowned, but promptly stopped and began making camp. He easily hefted the heavy bags from Jimmy and began unpacking tents and bed rolls.

"Town's only an hour or two away. We can get there if we hurry. ", protested Stille as their group suddenly came to a halt.

"Do you want to run poor Jimm-ez ragged? ", posed the duelist. He actually didn't really care about the boy, but camping here would be a perfect opportunity to get to know the baroness better. If they went to town, they would most likely be separated by their rank and station . Out here, it was like one big room. A perfect place for Martinez to work his silver tongued magic on the lovely Stille.

The baroness relented, and promptly began unpacking her gear as well. She only had a bed roll readied, and Martinez thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share a tent with her. He gave a practiced signal to Raoul , indicating that the half giant was sleeping elsewhere tonight. The giant chuckled in acknowledgement and continued unpacking .

"I'll gather some fire wood...way over there...by myself. ", stated Martinez, as he winked at the baroness. Stille did not bother to reply at the silent offer , as the duelist walked into the dark woods.

Stlle stared at the cocky duelist as he left their camp. "He doesn't seriously think I'm going to follow him , does he? ", she asked in disbelief. Raoul simply shrugged and began setting up camp.

* * *

Greenpaw snarled as a slow moving cart barred his way. The massive Holy Husky did not stop or pause in its trot, as it simply leaped over the unaware obstacle and continued its journey to the barony of Veb.

Sir Jose smiled at how effortlessly his mount cleared the wagon, but checked on his passenger just in case. "Take care Greenpaw, our passenger isn't in the best condition", the knight cautioned.

Greenpaw simply released a short bark as he continued down his path.

Jose was briefed by Emilo before he left and was still wondering what would greet him . The old priest described the ruler as a powerful priestess who stays eternally young . Jose scoffed at that notion, dismissing it as a fairy tale . Life prolonging magic was available to the rich , but its effects were very limited. 20 or 30 years by expensive alchemical methods. Another 20 to 30 years by even more costly enchanted objects. After that it requires dark forbidden magics and rituals . The type of magic that requires human sacrifice and that would place you on the list of people that Rollo and Jose are accustomed to hunt down. Although Jose had never visited Veb, the barony was referred to fondly by many of the older knights of his order. The old baron Halvor had assisted his order in their darkest hour and many occasions afterwards , and had won great honor because of it. The baroness Stille was also mentioned frequently and was often connected to their order's allied Ice Elf tribe in the north.

Jose smiled, as he cleverly drew the connection. It was so obvious. Stille was most likely part elf, that would explain her longevity. Elves and half elves were accepted in Grom, but the thought of one ruling a barony of humans would have been politically tricky. It seemed logical that her true heritage remained a secret. Most half elves have obvious elven traits, but some have been known to appear wholly elf or human.

The knight shuddered at the thought of Lady Stille's half elven "beauty". Jose has met quite a few half elves in his life and found them all refreshingly noble and heroic. They were disciples to the hero Zug, and sought to emulate all his traits, including the ones that made them overweight to morbidly obese. The knight accepted the fact that some people thought of them as attractive, but he also accepted the fact that some people are just plain stupid. Father Emilo definitely belonged in that unique minority.

Regardless of the size and weight of the baroness, Jose knew what must be done. He would bring Rollo to her to be healed, then seek her aid against the conjurer they were hunting. It was as simple as connecting the dots. The kind and gentle Stille would never turn down a knight of the Husky's request for aide. By all accounts the woman was a saint , although a really big saint, and did what was right, and never embarrassed herself by doing something beneath her station.

"Hmm...Maybe I should stop at an inn for a pie or two as a gift . Just in case I need some help convincing her. ", grinned Jose as his mount rushed down the road.

* * *

Martinez waited in the clearing off from camp. The duelist smiled as he heard a rustle in the bushes nearby.

"You can come out. I can smell your fresh fragrance.", grinned Martinez as he awaited his guest.

Lady Stille appeared nervously from the brush, and smiled at the duelist. She had taken off her heavy armor, and was dressed in a short black dress. The dress did little to hide her lean creamy smooth legs as she walked tentatively towards the duelist. The baroness's shoulders and cleavage were always hidden before, but they were on display in all their magnificence with the moonlight illuminating them seem to make them glow softly in the night.

"Oh yeah... Daddy likes...", purred Martinez as Stille sauntered him.

As the baroness drew close, she seemed to shiver nervously at the duelist's proximity. Martinez wasn't sure if she was going to run at that moment, but she over came her fear and approached him with open arms and a wide smile.

"You know Princess. I've been waiting for this moment ever since I got to this god forsaken barony. We both know this was going to happen sooner or later. I know you've been watching me, waiting patiently all this time to get me alone. Hey baby, I can't blame you if you have your eyes set on me, its just natural. I like the hunt better when my prey is elusive as well. However , fun time is over ...I have a job to do. " , smiled Martinez as he suddenly drew his partially concealed crossbow. A quick flip of a latch, and 4 arms popped up on the weapon's stock.

* * *

"Good work Jimmy...err I mean Jimm-ez .", humored the half giant as he finished setting up the camp with the aid of their new apprentice.

"Thanks ! Just tell me if you need anything else. ", huffed the boy, disregarding his fatigue.

Raoul knew the reason that Martinez had worked the boy so hard, but was pleasantly surprised that young Jim handled the workload and seemed eager for more.

"The stew smells wonderful Baroness. I didn't think you were so skilled, especially with Anna at your service. I didn't think you would get too many chances to practice your craft. ", commented Raoul as Stille prepared dinner.

The baroness smiled with pride. "I traveled extensively when I was young, and learned how to cook dishes from around the world. I am actually Anna's teacher. Believe it or not, she came to my barony a few years ago for the sole purpose of learning the culinary arts from me. It didn't take long for her to catch the eye and the stomach of my oldest son though. ", she giggled merrily.

"I bet there's a story or two you can tell about that. ", grinned the half giant. He was about to make a further comment, when suddenly a deafening screech filled the air.

"What was that ! ", exclaimed young Jim in a panic.

Raoul stood up , and strands of force gathered in his hands and formed a mighty staff. Stille's ears seemed to perk up , almost unnaturally. She swiftly motioned towards the direction Martinez had left earlier and the pair darted into the woods.

* * *

Martinez's first bolt struck the disguised demon squarely in the chest. The blessed cold iron bolt tore through its flesh and seemed to crackle with a holy light. The creature reeled backwards and immediately reverted to its natural form. The duelist pressed the attack and fired his arbalest again, striking the creature's now revealed wing. From the way the leathery appendage suddenly fell limp, the demon hunter knew his blow had crippled the prey. As Martinez got a good luck at his quarry he noted the creature was breathtaking, even for a member of its supernatural comely species. It had dark silky hair framing a bestial yet still beautiful perfectly formed face. Its impossible body rippled with lean athletic muscles while still managing to display inviting succulent curves. Even its horns, wings, and claws were somehow hypnotically formed and enticing. Martinez had hunted succubus before, but never one so alluring.

Despite it's injuries the succubus emitted a deafening screech before it pounced at Martinez. The duelist calmly flipped a switch on his crossbow , and a two foot long bayonet flipped and locked into place from his weapon's stock. He jabbed the improvised spear at his attacker, but was shocked that she managed to twist in mid air to avoid it. It hissed and clawed Martinez and struck him deeply in his side. The duelist had suffered many injuries in his line of work, but never one so painful . It felt like a blade had sliced his side, then someone had poured acid on the wound.

Martinez knew his life depended on what he did in the next few seconds. He dropped the crossbow as the creature turned quickly to face him, he then flicked his wrist and released a vial into his palm. The creature was much quicker then him, but he gambled that it was still bound by the momentum of its previous attack. As it began to turn, Martinez used the creature's wings to mask his attack , and in single motion he crushed the vial and threw the contents into the monster's back. A cloud of blue dust enveloped the demon, and it seemed to burn and wither the already injured creature. It stumbled a few steps then fell to the ground from the unexpected attack.

Although grievously wounded , Martinez breathed a sigh of relief. He half expected the monster to ignore the strike like his two previous attacks. He drew a dagger from his weapon belt and prepared to finish his quarry, but suddenly it started to scramble away on all fours. The duelist had never seen a succubus travel in this fashion, most preferred to fly gracefully or saunter seductively at their opponents. This creature definitely had the shape of a succubus, but there was something about its attack patterns, and its movements that struck him as odd.

As the creature retreated, Martinez deftly threw his blade at the monster and struck it in the back. Again holy energy flashed from the strike, but the creature continued scuttling at an incredible speed into the dark forest.

Martinez clutched his side , he was injured badly. He followed the creature to the edge of the small clearing and found the crude path it made when it escaped. He retrieved his dagger then rested his shoulder on a tree. He searched through his satchel and retrieved a small ointment jar. The cream was much more potent then a healing potion, and also much less preachy then a cleric. The duelist applied a liberal application to his wounded side and frowned when he noticed the mystical salve had no effect on his deep injury.

"Damn. ", hissed Martinez as he wondered what to do next. He was losing a lot of blood, and he seemed to have no way to stifle the loss. A bandage might be sufficient but that would take precious time, time for his prey to escape .

As the duelist rummaged through his satchel again, for more mundane healing tools, Raoul and Stille swiftly entered the clearing with young Jim in pursuit. They were shocked at the amount of blood and what appeared to be a dark ichor spilled in the area.

"This looks bad...but hey I won the fight. You shoulda seen my dance partner. ", boasted Martinez as he clutched his wound.

" The demon?", inquired Raoul as he started to smell the air around him before racing off to some unknown destination. Jimmy sniffed curiously at the ichor at the ground, but recoiled quickly when he smelled the sulfurous blood.

Martinez pointed in a direction then the half giant gave chase. "It's definitely a succubus, I tore its wing up pretty bad so it won't be able to fly. I got some cold iron powder into its wounds too. ", shouted the duelist at the retreating giant. "That Raoul...always charging into things. ", smiled Martinez at the worried Stille.

"Jimmy , go to camp and get some water. NOW! ", ordered the baroness as she examined and smelled the wound. The young boy was still rubbing his nose, but nodded quickly and raced to complete his new errand.

"Aren't you worried the demon may still in this area?", inquired Martinez with a pained expression.

"If its as wounded as you say it is, it won't be sticking around . Succubus aren't natural warriors, they prefer sneak attacks . I doubt it has a partner since your still alive. It's most likely fleeing for its lair right now. ", grumbled Stille as she pushed the duelist down onto a log.

"Hey careful. Don't bother with your spells, my powerful cure all ointment has no effect. Some form of magical attack that prevents healing. ", smiled Martinez as he enjoyed the baroness's medical attentions.

"A cursed wound actually. Similar to injuries caused by certain types of golems, mummies , and the glaives of bearded devils. It not only prevents healing of the wound but also projects a disruptive aura to prevent all healing on the victim as well. ", noted Stille as she suddenly began caressing and working her fingers on the duelist's side.

Martinez expected his injury to flare in pain, but the baroness's touch was surprising soothing and gentle. "Oh yeah baby...You've done this before ..haven't you? A little lower...lower still...", teased the duelist at the concentrating healer.

"My god. You can't stop flirting can you? Even with a possible fatal wound you just won't shut up?", complained the baroness as she continued to probe and massage the injury.

Martinez smiled and decided to let the baroness busy herself on him. "The creature is definitely a succubus. It took the shape of my...heart's desire so to speak ... to try to get close to me. It didn't fool me though, I waited till it got close and fired my crossbow point blank at her. I injured the cartilage of its right wing's forearm, and also struck it in the chest with my cold iron bolts. I even threw some blessed filings at it , but it didn't go down. Damn thing was freakishly fast and strong , even for a demon. I was going to finish it off in hand to hand with my iron dagger, but it managed to take a swipe at me before it ran. I still managed to nail it in the back though. ", boasted the duelist as he made firing and slashing motions to emphasis his attacks.

Stille nodded, "Your heart's desire eh? It took the form of some big breasted bar room floozy you met recently? ", she scoffed as her hands tingled with magic. The duelist simply smiled and shrugged.

Martinez didn't expect much , he already told her that his ointment failed. "Yeah...something like that. Anyways, its not your typical succubus. Didn't say a word, and was physically more powerful then any I've met before. Hey...my wound its gone. ", stated the duelist as he noticed Stille's magic had worked.

The baroness took a heavy breath , and then took her grey wig off and wiped the sweat off her brow. She used the now ridiculous mop of hair as a fan , as she recovered from the strain of the healing. " Don't move for a few minutes, let the healing settle before you run and get yourself killed. Its a cursed wound, its difficult but not impossible to heal. You just have to work slowly and weave the magic slowly through the wound. If you only have ointment or healing salves you use the same principal . Just need to work it gently and slowly. ", sighed the baroness . "You mentioned something about the creature not talking. That is highly unusual. ", noted Stille as she placed her grey hair over her blue mane and attempted to adjust it.

Martinez looked at the young woman as she struggled with her hair, and admired how cute she was at that moment . The duelist reached out and gently brushed her fingers away , and adjusted her hair himself. "Yes, succubus use their voice as a weapon. It's seductive words can disarm a man as effectively as her unnatural beauty. The creature wasn't a mute, it did grunt and everyone heard that screech for miles I reckon. I'm guessing its either a very rare feral variety or whoever summoned it broke its mind in the process.", explained the duelist.

"Broke its mind?", asked Stille skeptically . She couldn't see herself to gauge if the wig was on correctly but checked her ears , her brow and the back of her head . She nodded to the duelist in acknowledgment for his assistance.

"Yes. Dark magicians and priests often employ sinister methods to secure the loyalty of their summoned servants. Some use the exchange of souls, or fresh sacrifices to entice them. Others use diabolical rituals. Caccodemon, bind the soul, and even curses are some of the many incantations they use to bend their demonic allies to their will. Sometimes they over do things, and the minds of their servant snaps. Of course as an evil necromancer, they rarely regret their actions. Most outsiders can speak with telepathy anyways, so the summoners can still make their base intent understood to their mindless slaves. Although some of their magic is obviously unavailable, many are inherent to the creature and its usefulness is still assured.", explained Martinez.

Stille was horrified. She obviously heard of such rituals, but was unsure of the exact details. As a priestess of Koryis, she would never summon a creature who was unwilling to aid her.

Martinez sensed the uneasy feeling in Stille and smiled at the lovely priestess. "Thank you for the healing, if I knew getting grazed by the demon would bless me with your gentle caress, I would have allowed it to maul me some more. ", he smiled as he lifted her hand and kissed it gently.

"Please! Don't be ridiculous ..especially at a time like this . ", protested Stille in shock. " I'm old enough..."

"To be my grandmother. ", Martinez replied . "My dear Stille. Your age matters little to me, I'm enthralled only by the beauty in your sky blue eyes, the gentle touch of your fingers, and the classical beauty of your feminine form. I've never met such an enchanting and capable woman as yourself. To use our age differences as a barrier between us is preposterous. I've known many elves in the past, much older then you , and they rarely use that as an excuse to ward my affections. ", purred the duelist as he layered on the compliments.

Stille's smooth pale skin blushed a deep red from the duelist's attentions. She took a step back and quickly recovered though, " Look Martinez. I appreciate your assistance, but that's as far as it will go between us. I've known many elves in my time, and I can simply state that I am not one. They think differently then humans. To them life is a grand dream like adventure. I on the other hand, was raised by humans, I married a human, I bore human children, and I buried my human husband. Despite my actual appearance and heritage , I am a human at heart. As a woman I am flattered by your attentions, whether they are genuine or not, but as a grandmother I can assure you I am not interested. So please, show some professionalism and direct your romantic overtures to someone...more your age. ", stated Stille in a soft but stern voice.

Martinez frowned and nodded. He hated being shot down so directly .

Raoul soon returned and shook his head. The succubus had escaped their grasp. The good news though it was injured severely and would be easy to track . Jim returned with water . The baroness then directed him to clean the wound as she returned to camp.

"Damn..that's a cold hard woman. ", commented Martinez as she left.

"I've been told she was a much more open and adventurous , that is until her husband died. That was thirty years ago, the towns folk says she been in quiet mourning ever since.", explained Jimmy as he followed the baroness's command.

"Hmm ...grieving widow...30 years of pent up lust and desire...", smiled Martinez as he thought up another angle of attack. He liked the hunt better when his prey was elusive.


	6. Chapter 6

" You ...serving wench! Bring me two of your finest pies! Andele ! Andele!", demaned Sir Jose .

Anna was not amused at the brash knight. A part of her wanted to humble the young man and reveal her true rank as Baroness of Veb , but her training by the Lady Stille stayed her hand. She simply counted to five slowly before addressing the warrior.

"We have meat pies or fruit pies. Which do you prefer ?", she said with a forced smile, as her anger dissapted from her.

"Hmm...I'm not sure. ", puzzled the knight. "You live around here. What type of pies does the Baroness prefer? ", he asked.

Anna looked at the simpleton before her. She was under no illusion that he sought Lady Stille and not herself but she thought it was ridiculous that he was going to seek an audience by plying her with pies. Even more ridculous was that the pies at the Orange Hero Inn were all made by Lady Stille herself. "She has no preference. Though if you wish to please her , it might be more appropriate to get her pies from outside her barony. " , she noted.

"I have no time for that! My lord Rollo is greviously wounded and I seek an audience with her immediately. ", scoffed Jose at the girl .

Although the knight's initial impression was less the favorable, the fact that Sir Rollo was injured snapped Anna into action. She had met the aged warrior on a few occasions and knew he was an honorable and trustworthy man. She pushed Jose aside and hastened her stride to his mount. Even though his mount was a horse sized green dog, Anna did not appear fazed by it. She swiftly examined its prone and injured passenger and shook her head. "He has been stricken by a cursed wound. I have some magic , but it is beyond my skill to heal. We must get him to the Keep immediately . Only the Lady Stille can tend his wound. ", she said solemnly.

"I already knew that stupid girl! Now hurry up and get me those pies! Else you will face not only my wrath but the baroness's ! ", declared Jose haughtily.

* * *

Loric was a jumble of emotions right now. With the lovely Anna's aid, he had managed to locate the entrance to some mysterious ruin. It was not only cleverly disguised as a burned out tree, but there was some form of spell that clouded people's minds when they they thought about it. He was sure it lead to some ancient library or reliquary , the object of many years of research and study. He was obviously beside him self with glee, but it was tempered with the grim reality that he could not manage to open it. He was smart enough to know that whoever designed this entrance had sealed it with powerful magic, and humble enough to realize it was beyond his power to open it. It would require a wizard of at least her skill and power to unravel the enchantment barring his path. He knew only the most elite of mages were capable of this task. He could only think of a handful of magicians and sorcerers that might be able to open it, but sadly none that he can call upon to help him. In Grom , perhaps Boryis the Spyder at his prime, maybe Jholtok the Grand Mage, or Oleg the Earth lord were capable. Ambassador Gary of Gnomar and the Emperor Crafter of Grom could possibly open it but both were regrettably engaged in one of a long string of brutal border skirmishes between the two nations. Far up north, Champion Brita , the Omniscient Seer Fleur and possibly the mad queen Syr should be able to unravel these wards, but Loric doubt they would even acknowledge , let alone help him.

The sage considered physical force, but sadly his magic was geared more towards conjuration and enchantments. He had a few spells of the offensive nature, but they were lacking compared to an evoker or summoner.

Loric puzzled over his problem. The only solution he could think of was if he had some item to focus his magic on . Something that had close ties to these ruins, an artificat or a valued heirloom would suffice. Sadly he had no such object. His whole endeavor was to retrieve such relics, and it seemed fittingly ironic that he needed one just for the chance to gain one.

Although it seemed grim, the sage knew he wasn't beaten yet. He held out hope that perhaps one of the locals had such an object. Maybe a trophy at the inn, or perhaps a forgotten curio at the keep would satisfy his requirements. He had limited funds, but he hoped to be able to convince them of his plight.

With renewed optimism , Loric the sage decided it was best to ask the lovely Anna for assistance in his new task.

* * *

The succubus's wounds flared in pain. She wanted to scream in anger, but instinct told her to remain silent. She sensed they were following her , and she did not want to reveal her location.

She ran on all fours through the forest attempting to evade her pursuers. After almost an hour of fleeing , she finally collapsed from pain and fatigue. Tears of agony streaked down her face as she licked her wounds to alleviate the suffering. It had little effect as the dust the human used clung to her skin and burned her tongue. She whimpered at her plight. If her pursuers did not slay her, her master would most assuredly punish her for her defeat.

The demoness was still in shock at how it all turned wrong. She had tracked the group from a distance when she had spotted them. They were a strange group, a half breed demon, a giant, a boy and a perfumed man. She noticed the giant sniffing the air periodically and she reacted well by staying far down wind from them. She considered swooping in during the night and snatching the boy to snack on but she sensed an easier prey. The succubus smelled the perfumed man's lust and he had left the protection of the group. It all seemed easy enough to assume the object of the man's dark desires and then to lure and feast on him.

The demoness cursed her overconfidence as she recalled the beating she took . Her prey turned out to be the hunter, and he had wounded her grievously. Her wing was rendered useless and her ability to fly was stripped from her. The shaft of wood imbedded in her chest was maddeningly painful, but thankfully not lethal. Her lack of a true heart save her from a swift death. The slash to her back was deep, but hurt her pride more then her body. Although she managed to claw her foe, the perfumed man had gotten the best of her in that exchange.

The bolt inside her chest burned with holy fire, and the pain almost drove her insane. Any pressure she placed on it , wracked her body in terrible anguish. She didn't know what to do, die from a slow constant pain, or a quick jolt of agony.

The succubus was at wits end but decided to risk it all. She clawed at the wooden shaft but it unfortunately snapped , leaving the burning bolt head still inside her chest. It whined and panted at the continued torment , but knew what it must do. She flexed her claws and lengthened them then plunged her talons into her chest.

* * *

*SKRREEEEEEEEEEEE*

Jimmy awoke from his slumber from the banshee wail. He looked around frightfully but a measure of courage returned to him when he saw he was still in camp. The young boy spied the giant Raoul was on guard, with the prone forms of the lady Stille on his left, and Martinez on his right.

"Five miles to the east. Close to town. ", spoke the half giant slowly .

"*Yawn* Its headed to town? I didn't think it would head there? I thought its lair would be further out. ", spoke the prone figure of Martinez.

"It could be headed there to feed. From the ichor on the ground, I'm guessing its hurt bad. The cold iron ashes you placed on it, should render it incapable of healing through its energy drain, for the next few days at least. ", commented the giant.

"We'll bag it tomorrow. It's weaken and wounded. It won't escape us now. I'm still curious about the odd way it acted though. It was way tougher then I suspected, but seemed to act a bit feral. Normally the feral ones are weaker. ", noted the still prone duelist.

"Hmm...Have you ever considered it just didn't have anything witty to say ?", posed the giant.

"Maybe...anyways I confirmed its a succubus at least, not a fiendish nymph or a wild erniyes or something like that. We can put away the silver and byshek gear. Just need cold iron or blessed weapons to deal with it. Might want to dig out those protection amulets in case it tries to charm us as well, better safe then sorry. It's bad enough we have to worry about the baroness and the kid , I don't want to keep an eye on you too when things get hot. ", replied the prone figure as it shifted its position and fell silent.

"You know...Lady Stille's healing skills are pretty good , and she handles herself well in her armor. I don't think she'll be a liability in a scrap. ", commented the giant, but no reply was given.

Martinez remained silent, and the camp was silent save the crackling of the dieing camp fire.

"G'nite boss. ", said Raoul when he got tired of waiting for a response. The half giant then scanned the camp and its eyes focused on Jimmy. " Kid, you better get some sleep as well. ", he said in a low commanding voice.

* * *

"You foolish pathetic creature. ", scowled the conjurer as a large magical hand forcefully slapped the succubus.

The demoness wailed pathetically as she collapsed to the ground. The impact of the floating force construct and her own grievous wounds were too much for the proud demoness. It writhed on the ground and sobbed pathetically at the conjurer's feet.

The conjurer simply kicked his minion , which sent it slowly scuttling against a tree.

"I give you the simple task of scattering that simpleton Sir Rollo's forces, and you return to me in this miserable state. Your incompetence is intolerable !", raged the magician.

The demoness cringed as she recoiled from her master's wrath. She wasn't sure why , but this man was the most terrifying thing in the world to her. She eagerly obeyed his commands and wishes to the best of her ability, but often found her actions less then successful in his eyes. Perhaps it was her untamed nature, or her murderous hunger , but for whatever reason she found that he was often displeased by her actions.

The mage glared at the pathetic succubus below him. He knelt down and grabbed a handful of her dark mane and twisted it harshly in his hand. The conjurer's eyes blinked rapidly for a few seconds before he released his servants hair. The demoness wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but she knew he was briefly scanning her memories from that brief contact. She knew it wasn't a thorough mind reading and hoped he wouldn't see her recent recreational hunts.

"I am days...maybe even hours from gaining entry to the Blue Mage's sanctum and be privy to the secrets she kept, and you bring new players into the game. It's not sufficient that the Knights of the Husky and the Clerics of Koryis are after me, but now some adventuring mercenaries are alerted to my presence. " growled the mage. The conjurer readied to strike the demoness again but stayed his hand.

"These adventurers are always a wild card. They are powerful indeed if they struck down my most powerful minion. I will need to keep them occupied , a distraction ..or perhaps something more dangerous. ", he reasoned to himself as he paced around the demoness.

The conjurer then took out an old leather bag. He hesitated, but finally opened the drawstrings reluctantly. "My resources are being taxed beyond what I anticipated. Your incompetence has cost me dearly. I will take it out on your hide later , dog. ", warned the mage as he drew several rotted teeth from the bag and scattered them to the ground.

The succubus's eyes grew wide as she scrambled behind the conjurer. Dark forms started coalesening from the teeth her master threw . The shadows grew and started to take dire forms.

"This should keep our new friends occupied.", smirked the conjurer.

* * *

Sir Rollo shifted uneasily in the bed provided to him by Seargent Taylor. Anna had tended to him since she returned, but even her tender minstrations were unable to halt his slow decline.

Sir Jose yawned as he entered the room, he had turned down the guest room and instead took his rest on a bench outside Rollo's room. Riding a hundred miles on a husky was a tiring task. "Is he alright?", the knight asked.

Anna shook her head, "I will stay with him till Lady Stille arrives. We have our own problems in this barony , and hopefully she has taken care of them and hasten her return. ", replied the serving girl.

Jose scowled in frustration , but did not let his anger go beyond that. His lord was dieing and the baroness was out handling some minor problems of her fief. Most likely chicken stealing goblins, or maybe ravenous , garden destroying rabbits he thought in annoyance.

* * *

Martinez watched Raoul duck, as a massive club swung overhead and smashed into an adjacent tree. Despite his size, his comrade's movements in combat was similar to that of a swift cat. The half giant then took advantage of his overextended opponent and prepared to jab it with his staff, but another club forced him back to a defensive posture.

"Ogres? Ogres? Where the hell did these dolts come from ?", demanded Martinez as he tumbled backwards to avoid a strike from a crude iron axe. The duelist noted the weapon narrowly missed him, and had embedded itself into the ground. Normally he would not attempt to use a missle weapon against an armed foe so close, but he flipped onto his feet from his acrobatics and fired his crossbow into the Ogre's chest. Both bolts struck but the large mishapen humanoid did not seem to notice the blows as it finally freed its weapon. The duelist guaged the speed of his attacker , and darted closer into its range. Martinez then triggered his crossbow's bayonet and stabbed the ogre's upper foot with the extending blade. The monster bellowed in rage, and attempted to swat the duelist, but the swift man alreadly slipped past him and was now behind him. The ogre roared in frustration as it twisted to confront his foe, but its ire soon turned to confusion, as Martinez slipped behind him again and stabbed the monster twice more in the back.

As the duelist took advantage of his cumbersome opponent, he wondered where their attackers had come from. They had broken camp, and were preparing to return to town. After the encounter with the demon last night, the duelist did not want Jimmy or the Baroness in the line of fire. He tolerated the both of them when he suspected that the creature was a simple succubus, but the true danger of his foe was revealed to him with last nights brief encounter. Raoul and him would need their full wits to battle this creature, there would be no time for hand holding. He would make up some stupid execuse to humor the kid and ditch him in town, while he hoped he could reason with the lovely baroness to leave them alone. Taking responsibility for your barony was one thing, getting in the way of professionals was another. All was going according to Martinez's plan when suddenly a half dozen of these ogres rushed out of the forest to attack them.

The duelist knew it immediately that it was some form of conjuration magic at work. They were not the normally summoned fiendish variety. He wasn't sure of the exact spell , but it was the only thing that explained their sudden appearance. Ogres were wasteful creatures and had a very big impact on their surrounding environment. There were no signs of these monsters during the patrol of the previous day. He doubt they were a travelling band either, since their equimpent seemed geared more for combat rather then travel.

As Martinez contemplated his foes' origins, he saw the Baroness parry a strike from an ogre's club with her shield. The armored grey haired beauty stumbled back a bit, but her shield technique seemed solid. She angled it correctly and both deflected and absorbed the impact of the blow. Through the chaos of the battle, he could hear her yell to Jimmy to stay behind her or something. Martinez smiled and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to impress her. All he had to do was dispatch the ogres on her, and save the day to speak.

As the duelist contemplated his course of action, the two ogres on him had recovered from his quick tumbling and had him firmly in their sights. The more injured ogre, ignored its wounds and roared a challenge as it charged the duelist. Martinez guessed he wounded the creature's pride more then its body as he calmly sidestepped his opponent's momentum and slashed him once for his efforts. The other ogre was right behind the first one and changed its path to bring it directly over the duelist. Martinez eyed the new threat and readied his aim. As the ogre was mere steps from trampling him, the duelist threw a fist full of weighed knives at his foe. Several blades struck the monster ineffectually in its arms and chest, one embedded itself in its eye, and lastly one struck in its throat. The effect was immediate as the monster's attack lost all its power from the unexpected strike. Martinez grabbed the pommel of his dagger and twisted as he flipped upwards towards his foe. The pommel released a wire, which he quickly used to entangle the monster's neck. A surge of properly applied strength to the assassin's line swiftly ended the wounded monster's life.

Martinez spied the first injured ogre scanning wildly for him, several strides ahead. To his left he saw Raoul fighting defensively against his two foes. The half giant easily defected his foe's telegraphed attacks with his force staff, and managed to use his weapon's reach to lash out occasionally at his attackers. To his right, the duelist was suprirsed to see the Baroness surrounded by a swirling cloud of blades. Already one ogre had fallen from her wall of swords, while the other fell back from her magical assault.

"Wait that's five. Where's the sixth?", wondered Martinez as he enjoyed the brief calm in battle. The duelist's mind raced through the recent events, and he recalled one of their attackers crash through the woods to his right, earlier in the fray. He turned and saw young Jim standing a safe distance behind the Baroness.

Martinez saw no signs of an Ogre, but he trusted his instincts. "Jimmy , MOVE! ", he shouted. The boy seemed confused at first, but to the duelist's relief he recovered his wits and raced a few steps to the side. A few seconds after his seemingly random flight , a massive scimitar slashed into the ground where the boy stood. Martinez shook his head, as he raced towards the suddenly revealed attacker. Raoul was fine despite his stalemate with his foes, while Stille was easily overpowering her foe with her magic, that left left young Jim the most vulnerable to attack. The injured ogre he engaged earlier attempted to swat Martinez again, but the duelist moved away from him like smoke.

Jimmy's ogre was less armored then his brethern and was also armed with a lighter faster weapon . Martinez assumed he was some sort of skirmisher. It appeared physically weaker then the other five ogres, but at the same time harder to confuse and evade. Martinez barked a short war cry to divert the creature's attention and soon found himself facing the Ogre dervish. The massive foe slashed at the duelist with a pair of crude iron scimitars with unexpected speed and skill. Martinez was barely able to block and parry the sudden strikes with his smaller daggers , but each succesful attempt jolted his arm from the force of the blow. Although he was faster then his foe, the raw power of the ogre's strikes threatened to paralyze or break his arms soon if he didn't manage to mount an effective counter attack.

The duelist managed to dodge a scimitar and saw an opportunity to strike his foe's exposed belly. As he seized the advantage, the duelist's keen mind screamed trap as he aborted his lunge. This proved fortitious as the ogre quickly recovered from his failed attack, and struck at where Martinez would have been if he had not fallen back.

"A feint...clever..very clever.", grinned the duelist.

Martinez's opponent was good, but he knew he was better. He scanned the battlefield to seek a quick advantage when he spotted a paralyzed young Jim behind his foe. "Catch! ", yelled the duelist as he lobbed one of his daggers in a high arc over his foe. He wasn't sure if the boy was frozen or not, and was unexpectedly surprised when the lad actually caught the weapon. Martinez watched the ogre, as its eyes darted behind him and as it swiveled slight at the now armed boy. That was all the distraction that the duelist required, as he exploded towards the monstrous skirmisher. He flicked his wrist and a hidden blade replaced the one he threw, and he managed to strike his outflanked foe three times in a breath of a second. Once in the belly , once in the knee, and once in its chest. The ogre screamed and pain and lashed at the duelist. Instead of darting away , the duelist pressed forwards . He pressed himself close to the ogre, as the scimitar managed to strike him on the side. The blow was heavy, but his close range and armor managed to disperse most of its strength. In return, Martinez struck the monster three more times . Twice more in the belly, and once more in the knee. The skirmisher's blood poured freely from his now open stomach , but its injured leg gave out first as it collapsed on the ground.

The scimitar blow wounded the duelist, but it wasn't anything lethal. The skirmisher sprawled weakly on the ground before Martinez as the first injured ogre had finally caught up to him. The duelist looked at a shocked Jimmy and winked. "Thanks for the assist .", he smirked before he tumbled towards his foe. He lashed at the ogre's arm and struck it cleanly. Sadly he didn't manage to wound it like his previous foe. Martinez was skilled with the blade, but down right deadly when he managed to strike a distracted or unaware opponent. Despite its circumstantial usage, it was an extremely deadly and useful skill. With the proper weapons, the duelist had been able to lay low even the most hardy and resilent denizens of the abyss with that specialized skill.

The duelist hopped back from his wounded but persisent opponent to observe the battle. He noted the ogre on the Lady Stille had joined the two in their attack against Raoul. The giant had suffered several wounds but had still stood his ground. Martinez knew what would come next , as the half giant's opponents pressed him once more. Raoul lifted his foot and strands of energy gathered along his sole. The half giant then stomped the ground, sending the energy through the ground, ripping , rending, and churning the earth like a shallow pool. Two of the ogres fell on their backs from the unexpected assault, while the third stumbled back in confusion.

Raoul quickly swung his staff with an overhead swing at one of his fallen foes, crushing its skull with a thunderous blow. The other fallen ogre scrambled to stand up, but the half giant managed to clip his undefended opponent with an opportunistic blow. The fleeing ogre scrambled back from the staff swinging Raoul, only to meet the spectral blades of the pursing baroness. A dozen blades slashed at it, while Stille slashed the brute with her own broadsword. Martinez gave a thoughtful nod to the baroness. He had just assumed she carried the heavy knight's weapon for show, but she clearly knew how to handle it.

Martinez paused and smiled. "You're pretty skilled with swords. You can handle mine anytime! ", blurted the duelist proudly, but unfortunately his witty comment was drowned by the roaring Raoul, and the painful screams of the mortally wounded skirmisher.

The wounded ogre turned and swung at Martinez yet again, but the duelist calmly ducked under it . Martinez then hopped a few step towards the baroness and half giant. "You're pretty skilled with swords. You can handle mine anytime! ", he declared again. Once again Stille didn't react to his words, as the ogre against her lashed out in blind fury at his tormentor. The baroness's cloud of blades shredded the ogre's arm but the beast blindly managed to strike her heavily across the forehead . A loud crack was heard as she was sent spinning to the ground. The ogre smiled in triumph before succumbing to its owns wounds and collapsing into a bloody heap.

A brief moment of worry and panic struck the duelist squarely in the gut. It was premature though, as the baroness swiftly got up and launched herself to assist Raoul. The half giant was once again locked in a stalemate with his remaining ogre. The advantage was on his side this time though, as he pressed the beleagured monster with his staff. As the baroness closed in on the beast, it decided to attempt a desperate attack . It lunged at Raoul with the full mass of his body, hoping to overwhelm his smaller opponent. Martinez knew that it was a hopeless attack before Raoul countered . The half giant simply smashed his staff downwards at his foe, forcing his opponent's momentum to carry him into the ground. The ogre struck and initiated a grapple, but Raoul's counter had put him in a dominant mount position. The ogre swiftly regretted his poor decision, as the half giant rained blow after blow from his heavy fists onto the undefended Ogre's flank and back.

"You're skilled with pretty swords... ", began Martinez again as he flashed a winning smile to the baroness.

"HOLD! ", she shouted towards the duelist, in a clear resonant voice.

Martinez raised an eyebrow. It looked like an attack, but he defintiely didn't feel one directed at him. " Handles with mimes...anytime?" , he said as he forgot what he was about to say.

A heavy crash came from behind him, as the duelist suddenly remembered his first ogre. He glanced towards his foe, and saw he was on the ground in an odd frozen position. Above him stood Jimmy with his dagger as he tentatively jabbed the held monster.

Stille dismissed her blades as she ran to check on the young boy. She calmly plucked the weapon from his grasp and returned it with a scowl to the duelist.

"Thank you for protecting Jimmy, but he's too young for weapons. ", scolded the baroness to Martinez.

"Hanlde mine, anytime, pretty sword skills. No that didn't come out right. ", blurted the duelist.

"What? ", asked Stille as she mumbled a quick prayer and healed Martinez's previous wound from the scimitar.

"Errr never mind. ...Umm is your head ok? You got whacked pretty good in the noggin . From the sound of the blow, I thought it split your head open . " , commented the duelist with genuine concern.

The baroness sighed and brushed back her hair, revealing a delicate twisted horn with a hairline crack in it. "I think my wig absorbed most of the blow, but it cracked one of my horns. It's going to be awhile before it heals. ", frowned Stille with embarssement. She then covered her wound, and fluffed her wig around it. "Does it look odd? Can you notice it? ", she asked with concern.

Martinez couldn't help but laugh. "Nobody knows you have horns in the first place ! It looks fine my dear Stille . ", he snickered as he warmed by the thought that even the conservative Baroness had a bit of vanity in her.


	7. Chapter 7

Martinez examined the remains of the fallen ogres and was at a lost. The veteran demon hunter had suspected their foe to be some type of summoned monster because of the unexpected nature and single mindedness of the attack. Summoned beasts normally dissipated completely upon death, but the corpses of these creatures had begun to shrunk into something bizarre and unexplained.

"Teeth. These ogres turned into big rotted teeth. ", declared Jimmy as he prodded the shrunken ogre bodies with a nearby stick. " Are they demons? ", he curiously asked.

Raoul sniffed them and shrugged. " I smell a very faint whiff of brimstone on them, but no more then what you and I have on us. My senses do tell me they are magical , although most seem inert from the beating we have inflicted on them." , he said as he cautiously gathered them.

"They are dragon teeth. From the ancient Mycenaean legend of Cadmea , Jason and Medea. The entire tale is of no importance, except the part where enchanted dragon's teeth are sowed into the ground to form formidable warriors to do one's bidding. Similar to normal summons but they last longer, and also lack the typical fiendish or celestial qualities. ", noted Stille sagely as she healed the last of their wounds.

"Hmm...Dragon's teeth . That sounds familiar. ", replied Martinez. He was about to laugh at the baroness's dubious insight, but a hint of recognition prevented him.

"Correct. A rare form of magic in the south, but used frequently in the north. Mostly by dragons for the ability to create reliable humanoid guards, but also less frequently by wizards and artificers that specialize in the creation of constructs. It is said that the blue mage herself was a pioneer in this craft, and sometimes dragon teeth are found in ruins attributed to her throughout the countryside .", expanded the Baroness.

Martinez nodded to Stille. Mainly in recognition of her superior lore, but partly to get on her good graces. He still held up hope for a romantic tryst with the intriguing and hauntingly beautiful baroness after this demon hunt was over.

"This is bad then. ", added Raoul grimly as he thought over this new information.

"Why so? Didn't we beat these guys up?", asked Jimmy who was still excited over the battle . Unlike the encounter with the bandits, the young boy had a minor but active role against the ogres. This of course brought him to a new level of enthusiasm.

"From all indications of the succubus we are currently hunting, I doubt she has the ability or resources to employ these dragon teeth ogres on us. That means we have two threats, or more likely the succubus has a partner or a master. ", explained Martinez as he finished Raoul's thoughts.

Raoul began following the path the ogres came from. "They came from east of here. Away from town, near those ruins I spotted when we arrived at the barony. The succubus was headed close to town in a different direction , but she can't break the wards into that area . Unless of course she had help from a partner or master on the inside. ", noted the half giant.

"Stille, I want you to take Jimmy back to town. We're almost there , so the trip should be safe. Double check your wards and warn Sergent Taylor of this new threat. This summoner or mage might be disguised as a stranger in town , or maybe a stray bandit on the outskirts. Anyone who can command the services of a succubus is dangerous indeed. Raoul and I are going to backtrack the ogres immediately. There might be a chance we can surprise our attacker. ", commanded Martinez .

Stille was about to argue, but she saw how determined and commanding the duelist was at the moment. It was a side of him she never saw before in the brief time she had known him and despite their mounting opposition she felt secure he was handling the situation. She nodded in acceptance to his decision.

"What? I'm being ditched? What about carrying your stuff, and training to be a demon hunter? ", declared a frustrated Jimmy.

Martinez was about to say something, but Raoul shook his head first. "Look Jimmez. You did good so far, really good in fact. I'm not gonna lie to you and make up some story that we need you to guard the Baroness or something. The truth of the matter is things are gonna get really dangerous. More dangerous then what we initially expected. So we need you to go back to the village and keep your eyes , ears and most importantly your nose open . Can you do that?", asked the half giant in a surprisingly gentle voice.

Jimmy suppressed a tear, but nodded . The small group swiftly broke up and went their separate ways.

* * *

"Where is the baroness? ", demanded Sir Jose impatiently. The young knight had stayed up all night at his lord's side, and his vigil was starting to wear on him.

"I do not know, but I suspect she should return soon. The barony is quite large, and the latent magics in the woods prevents simple communication spells to contact her. ", replied a tired Anna. The young woman had only a rudimentary knowledge of healing magics , but she had ministered what she could to the drained Sir Rollo. "Your master's condition is dire, but I've stopped it from deteriorating. I will have a servant attend him, while I get some rest. I suggest you do the same. "

Jose growled , despite his fatigue the suggestion of inaction at his lord's most dire hour was unacceptable to him. "I'm tired of waiting. I'm going to find her myself. ", he declared as he left the room .

Anna was about to protest, but the knight had already stomped off . She sighed at the man's impatience, it reminded her of her husband's rashness, and for a moment she felt a deep yearning . Ever since the Baron of Veb had left to crusade against the Gnomes, she had prayed every night for an end to the war and his safe return. The recent events of the demon, and the injured Sir Rollo , weighed heavily on her shoulders and she made note to double her acts of piety for the day .

* * *

Sir Jose stormed out of the castle. As he left he looked puzzled at the fortification. Although he had little sleep, he was sure the interior looked much bigger then the exterior. He had heard of illusions and architectural designs placed on castles to make them appear stronger, but seldom had he heard of the opposite . He shrugged as he continued to march to town, he had more pressing concerns on his mind.

"Find this Baroness. Gain her favor with pies. Heal Sir Rollo. ", he said out loud as he organized his thoughts. Suddenly the knight stopped and realized he still didn't know what the baroness looked like. He turned around and approached the keep's gate guards.

"You. Gate guard or whatever your name is. I need to find your Baroness right away, what does she look like? ", Sir Jose demanded.

Despite the lack of manners in the request, the guard answered the knight swiftly. "Mid height, pale skin, shoulder length grey hair, often wears black . She left in the company of a small and a large ruffian yesterday. ", the guard barked in recognition of Jose's rank .

The knight nodded and turned around once more towards the town. This should be simple he thought as he conjured up an image of a morbidly obese half elf with pasty pale skin, wearing a long gothic black dress , with a mop of grey curly hair . He wasn't sure about the curls, but most senior noblewomen style their hair that way.

Once he reached a safe distance from the keep, he summoned his giant riding dog Greenpaw to his side. The loyal war beast appeared instantly in a flash, and growled menacingly. Jose nodded to his friend, who then began to whine as it saw the knight's weary condition.

"I'm ok boy. Just a bit tired. Can't wait around the keep any longer gotta find this pudgy busy body baroness before Lord Rollo expires. ", the knight said to his mount.

Greenpaw barked in confirmation as Jose mounted him before speeding to town.

Anna was correct, and the Barony was quite large, but it shouldn't be too hard to find the Lady Stille. She would most likely keep to the main roads. The inn he visited earlier was rather nice, and if there were more like that she would most likely have stopped there.

"ARIBA! ARIBA! PALADIN COMING THROUGH! ", he shouted to a young woman with a small boy in tow. The pair tried to wave at him to stop, but Sir Jose did not have time for autographs or some other demand of the peasantry. He glanced at the pair , and noted the child had a disappointed look to him while the woman was fair of face and form. She was wearing a dark breastplate, and Jose guessed she was a member of the militia or something. Most likely she wanted to warn him of some local travel speed regulation. Under normal circumstances he would most definitely had stopped and chatted with the fair Chica, but he was on a very important quest.

To find the Baroness Stille !

* * *

"Who was that guy? Do you think that's the summoner we are looking for? ", asked Jimmy after he hopped out of the path of the knight on the horse sized green dog.

" I don't think that's the summoner. ", replied Lady Stille , unimpressed with the manners shown in her own barony. " Summoner's require a degree of intellegince. That guy was an idiot. ", she noted.

Jimmy nodded in agreement, then his mood turned dark. "So I guess you want me to sound the alarm then wait right? ", he asked despondently.

The baroness sighed as she looked at the dejected boy. Jimmy was a good boy. Even though he lost his parents he was always dependable and never complained. He lacked the size to be a member of the militia or take up a proper trade but he still worked hard , hoping to get ahead. The fact he attempted to apprentice with the demon hunters didn't surprise her, he was a very enterprising and ambitious lad. Although she admired such qualities , she was not about to put him into any danger. A stray demon was one thing, a summoner capable of conjuring more was another. It would be best if he returned home till the crisis passed.

"Jimmy. I want you to warn as many people that you can. I want them to take shelter in the keep or town hall at the first sign of trouble. Report any signs of odd strangers to Sergent Taylor. ", sighed Stille . Jimmy did not like the answer but he nodded at her command.

"I'm going to warn Anna, and the both of us will check the wards . I'll meet you at the keep later. I don't want to use the warning bell immediately , it may force our foes hand. Or worse yet, cause a panic. ", the baroness added as she placed a blessing on the boy.

"I'll do my best. ", he said before sprinting away. Even though his task was a far cry from demon hunting, Stille knew that the eager young Jim would accomplish his task the best he can.

After Jimmy left, Stille proceeded to the inn. It was still early in the morning but Anna should be practicing her culinary craft. Even though their residence was officially at the Keep, both women began rooming in the inn more often then not. Partially because it was pratical to their buisness, but more because it allowed them to keep in contact with their subjects. After her husband died, Stille had stayed mostly in the keep for close to 25 years, in quiet mourning and reflection. When Anna came to study the culinary arts under her, she deemed it more practical to practice their craft at the village rather then the keep. Although her son and Sergent Taylor protested , Stille was the baroness and she got her way. The last few years serving as an innkeeper gave a new spark to Stille. It didn't close all her wounds, but she found some form of inner peace in her job.

As Stille approached the inn, she noticed that Anna wasn't present. Although she was a bit surprised, the baroness didn't panic at her absence. She might have been collecting ingredients for dinner, or more likely performing one of her many errands. None of her warning spells sounded, so she was reassured that Anna was in no danger. Stille decided to gather her things while she was here and went to her room. Although it was quite spartan compared to her lavish domicile at the keep, Stille regarded it as home. Mostly due to the treasures she kept there. They were simple things, mementos from her long life, but she valued them more then any golden work of art or jewel in her keep. A torn handkerchief, a spear head, a preserved apple, a scroll tube. She packed these simple items into a chest and decided to leave a note to Anna before checking the wards herself.

As the baroness entered the common room, she was surprised to see a handsome looking man in a robe sitting patiently at a table.

"Is Anna here?", the man asked.

Stille appraised the person before her. He seemed modest and polite enough. From his clothing and the satchel at his side, he seemed more like a scholar then a dangerous summoner. He did not seem threatening in the least so she decided to answer his question.

"Sadly she isn't. I was hoping to find her as well. ", the baroness finally replied.

"Ach. More delays to my research. Anna was very helpful yesterday , and I was hoping she would provide some insight to the discovery I made . By the way, my name is Loric. Loric the sage. ", smiled the scholarly gentleman.

"I am Stille. Despite my arms and armor , I run the Inn here, but I've been absent from my duties recently. I wish we met under better circumstances, but as you no doubt have heard, there's a demon in the woods, and we now have evidence of a hostile summoner as well. I'm here to warn everyone to be ready to retreat to the keep if this threat gets out of hand. ", explained the baroness.

"Yes, Anna mentioned this to me. I am only a sage, but I do have some magical talent. I guess the faster we rid ourselves of this demon and its master, the sooner I can finish my research. Where can I volunteer my skills to assist the barony? ", asked Loric.

Stille peered at the man. She wasn't a mind reader , but she could tell he valued his research highly. She didn't know what magical skills he had, but she wasn't going to turn them down. " You can follow me, I wish to check the wards around the town before retreating to the keep. Hopefully Anna will be there.", the baroness replied.

"Excellent. Lead on. ", said the scholar eagerly.

* * *

Jimmy had already warned several families of the new danger. They all knew he worked closely with the baroness, and no one doubted his word. A part of him was proud that the people placed such high trust in him, another part detested the fact he was playing messenger instead of learning the trade of demon hunting. It was a crazy dream, but Jimmy honestly thought he could do some good , especially after the skirmish earlier in the morning. Despite having his dream snatched away so suddenly , Jimmy had a job to do and he resolved to do it the best he could.

As the young boy marched to the residences at the west of town , he stopped as he smelled a faint familiar odor . It was exactly like last night, a scent of smoke, a wiff of ash , a stench of sulfur.

"Brimstone. ", he whispered to himself.

* * *

"These tracks are pretty obvious. ", noted Raoul.

"Well they are ogres. Nothing subtle about them. ", commented Martinez.

"Could be a trap, or an ambush. ", added the half giant.

"Or we could be letting our chance to end this quickly slip our grasp. Those bruisers they sent at us were pretty tough, I'm guessing the person that summoned them though they would be enough to finish us. There is a chance it was a diversionary tactic though. They sent a screening force to be defeated and use it to set bait for us . Seems like over kill though. If they had extra forces at their disposal , wouldn't it be better to commit them all in decisive attack?", asked the duelist.

"It's also likely they weren't sure where we were. The group we killed could be one of many seeking us. Since they didn't return the others might be amassing and heading in our direction. Sort of an uncommitted tactical reserve.", posed Raoul.

"Oh, now you're getting silly. ", sniffed Martinez. The two grinned at their own bantering. Regardless if it was a trap or not, they knew they would face it together like they had other threats in the past. Besides their embarrassing defeat at the inn by the baroness, the pair were often victorious.

"Wait...you hear that? Behind us. ", warned Raoul as he slipped into the foliage. His skin seemed to change color, and despite his size he blended in almost completely with the greenery.

Martinez nodded in silence, both to the question and the warning. Although he possessed no innate magical powers, hiding was one of his specialties. It was said he could hide in plain sight and was harder to spot then a mage with an invisibility illusion.

As the pair waited, a large green dog with a haggard looking knight galloped down the ogre path. The dog stopped and its ears perked up. It then started to turn and sniff the area.

"Greenpaw. What is it boy? Do you smell demons? ", asked the knight. The dog gave no reply except some low growls, but it was enough to spur his rider to begin concentrating on his surroundings.

"OWWW!", yelped Jose as a small rock struck his helmet.

"Don't you know by now, that the Devil's woods interferes with divination magic. Especially detecting evil. ", grinned Martinez and Raoul as they slipped out of cover.

Jose rubbed his head, then smiled at the demon hunters. " ESAY! Martinez, Raoul! What are you doing here? ", beamed the knight.

"Quit it with the gutter North Darokin dialect, its embarrassing. ", smirked Martinez. Although both of them hailed from that district, it was considered uncouth to use that language anywhere except in poverty stricken North Darokin. Even in the more populous South Darokin , using that particular tongue was considered lower class.

" As to what we are doing, we were attempting to sneak up to a demon and its master, but a giant green dog and its annoying master has scuttled that plan. Speaking of which, I thought you were a squire to Sir Rollo. That didn't go too well I guess ? ", jested the duelist.

Greenpaw barked enthusiastically when he was mentioned.

"A thousand pardons. ", replied the knight in a more formal Grommish dialect. "I seek the Baroness of these parts , I have urgent buisness with her. Despite my foreign upbringing, I wish to inform you that I am no longer a squire, but a knighted member of the prestigious Order of the Husky. ", Jose said while barely suppressing a cracked grin.

Raoul snickered at the exchange. "I think I like him better the other way. ", commented the half giant.

Martinez nodded in agreement, " If you do find the baroness, be prepared. She's not what you expect. ", he added wistfully.

Jose scoffed at the duelist, "Oh please, don't give me that. I wasn't born yesterday. I already clued into what she is. A half breed , am I not correct ?", he said with a proud grin.

Martinez and Raoul exchanged stunned looks, "Why...why yes. You guessed correctly. I just didn't want you to freak out or anything. You know, do the paladin thing and smite her or something . ", explained an embarrassed Martinez.

"Nonsense. I wouldn't do anything such thing, unless she got hungry and tried to bull rush me for my food or something. Or worse yet, try sitting on my knee. I'll need that special ointment of yours for sure to mend my bones. HAH! Don't worry about me, I've dealt with half breed abominations up north at the knight holds , and I know how to act in the presence of such a beast. If worse comes to worse, I've come prepared. I'll distract her with pies. ", stated Jose.

"Errrr...Ok. What ever you say. ", responded a confused Martinez.

"Enough with the pleasantries. We could use a hand if you have time to spare. We weren't kidding about tracking a demon, and possibly its summoner to their lair. We already dealt with a half dozen ogres and suspect more ahead. ", interjected Raoul

Jose grew serious and considered his options. "I really am on an important errand you know. But since I've had no luck locating the baroness I will lend you my sword in your task. ", he said in a serious tone.

The demon hunters nodded in appreciation and signaled the paladin and his mount to follow.

"What good is an esay , if you can't rely on him to lend a hand busting heads, eh? Hey is that a fresh wound? Want me to use my divine healing arts to heal it. ", added the paladin as he pointed to Martinez's bandaged side.

"Nah its fine. It's mostly healed anyways, although I had a heck of time with it. The succubus we are tracking clawed ripped the side of my ribs open, caused a really nasty cursed wound. Luckily the baroness's healing arts came through.", shrugged Martinez.

"Wait...Succubus, with cursed claws? ", said Jose as he stopped his mount. The demon hunters stopped and stared at the confused knight.

"My master, was laid low recently by a succubus with cursed claws. Its not a common combination , since most succubus prefer more subtle methods of killing. She was sent against us when we were closing in on her master. ", Jose declared as pieces of the larger puzzle fell into place.

"You think, this demon and its mage are the same pair that attack your band?", asked Raoul as his gaze narrowed .

"I'm ...I'm sure of it. If I'm correct, then this path is a ruse. The summoner had fooled and confused us a few times in the past with such distractions and subterfuge, while he was hiding practically under our noses. I bet my knighthood that the summoner and its pet succubus are near or most likely in town as we speak. ", reasoned the knight.

"You just came from the village. Did you see signs of this summoner or the succubus we seek? ", asked Martinez carefully.

Jose shook his head, "Sadly I didn't , but that doesn't mean anything. The town's a big place and I only went down the main roads. Greenpaw here is pretty obvious, if they were there, they would have hid from my sight. I didn't detect anything unusual with my paladin's vision, but this whole forest seems to disrupt it. ", explained the knight.

Raoul looked at Martinez, "Well boss. Your call. We follow this trail and see where it leads us, or double back to town and hope Jose isn't an idiot. ", stated the half giant.

"Hey! I heard that! I'm standing right here you know. ", protested the knight.

Martinez weighed his options. His instincts was to do this by the book. That meant to follow the immediate lead . It might be a trap, but him and his partner were well practiced on turning ambushes against demons. Jose seemed convinced they were going in the wrong direction. Besides being a fellow countryman from Darokin, Martinez regarded Jose as a trustworthy and honorably friend, he would not claim the summoner was in town if he didn't believe it. However due to their long association, Martinez also knew Jose was a bit of a fool. He wasn't the sharpest sword in the armory , and his judgement could easily be flawed.

The duelist considered what was at stake. If they went to town and it proved to be a false lead, they would lose approximately 5 hours of search time, basically the entire day would be for nothing, and their prey would be safely out of his reach. If he followed the path and it proved to be a diversion, then the villagers would be placed in immediate risk.

"We head back .", stated Martinez. He disliked this option, but he wasn't about to put people like Jimmy and Stille in danger. He knew this would most likely end up as a time consuming wild goose chase.

* * *

Jimmy first ran to the inn, and was disappointed to find the baroness and Anna were not present. He sniffed the surroundings and was relieved he did not catch any of the brimstone scent.

Then he raced to the local guard post. It was a small simple stone building which Sergent Taylor typically used to station a few men , to keep the peace in town . The young boy met some members of the militia and quickly told him what he found. The guards were leery of sounding the alarm based on a boy's fears, but he was a favored servant of the Baroness, and they rather he faced punishment for causing a panic, then they faced disciplinary action for not obeying him. With reluctance they sounded the alarm in town. The alarm was a simple bronze bell. It could be heard through out the town and some of the outlying farms, but beyond that , the forest's magical qualities disrupted its sound. Despite its limited strategic value, it was still useful in conveying warnings to the villagers. Satisfied that he did what he could at the guard post, Jimmy then raced to make sure his family was ok.

Jimmy ran to his house and warned his aunt and uncle of the danger. They had already heard the alarm bell and were already in the process of gathering his cousins to the town hall. Jimmy knew if he attempted such a warning a month ago, he probably would have been slapped by his uncle for wasting everyone time, the recent rash of deaths however made his relatives much more appreciate and receptive of his efforts.

Jimmy had full intention to go with his family to the town hall , but a thought crossed the boy's head. Martinez and Raoul were headed in the wrong direction. He doubt they could hear the alarm , since they were deep in the woods already. He reasoned they would be about 10 miles out by now. Even without the threat of a demon , it was a torturous and dangerous run under any circumstance.

He reasoned the smart thing to do was to go to the town hall and await Baroness Stille's decision. However Raoul did say to keep his eyes, ears and nose open. If he followed their train of logic then the next logical decision would be to report his findings immediately . If it happens to bring him through the dangerous woods, then so be it.

* * *

Stille and Loric swiftly examined the wards surrounding the town, to ensure they were still intact. They decide to begin at the west and work their way clock around the village. To the baroness's surprise, the sage was pleasant and knowledgeable company. She discovered that he was mostly interested in the local ruins , and any legends regarding the infamous Blue mage.

"Do you think the baroness or anyone in town has any tomes regarding the legends and myths of this barony? Anna hinted she knew of some, but sadly she isn't here .", asked Loric.

Stille nodded, "There are many myths surrounding Veb. Everything from the mighty Sampson, to the legendary Monte Nabisco. Most of those have been well documented and supported by primary sources, but the stories of the Blue mage however are mostly passed by unwritten records. We have little knowledge of her save for stories and tales to scare children. ", explained the innkeeper.

The weight of her comment struck Loric heavily. "Curses...I ..I was so close. I might have to return to Lower Lueders or Grom City after this crisis is over .", he lamented as he considered his options.

"I can assure you that neither the famous Library of Penguin manor or the vast book depository of the Great Academy possess the knowledge you seek. I had the unique opportunity to study at both locations when I was younger. ", explained Stille.

Loric paused and regarded the innkeeper in a new light, he did not suspect his recent companion to be a scholar like himself. "It is refreshing to meet a fellow seeker of knowledge especially in such an out of the way Barony , but I do not seek any additional lore about the Blue Mage. I have recently discovered what I suspect to be one of her hidden laboratories. Unfortunately, it is warded against my entry, and none of my spells can penetrate it. However, I suspect that if I have a focus item, one that belongs to the creator of the these protections that I can use it to channel my magic to unravel the ward. I was hoping for a personal ancient text , but perhaps some curio or object that was close to her heart can be located in one of the magic shops of the larger cities. ", explained the sage.

"I doubt, you will get anything authentic at Dimitris...wait... you seek an item from the Blue mage? I might have the answer to your problem. ", declared Stille. Even though she was checking the wards, the inquisitive woman was caught up in the sage's quest for lore.

Loric paused and raised an eyebrow, "Please..please explain!", he pleaded.

"My father was given an item to return to the Blue Mage's lair many years ago. At first his friends attempted to find it but failed. Then he gave it to my sister, and she failed as well. Finally he gave it to me, and as you can guess I had no luck . Currently it resides in the keep , but I'm sure we can procure it from the baroness after this affair with the demon is handled. It may or may not be the item you seek, but its worth a shot. ", explained Stille , carefully not revealing the fact she was in fact the Baroness of Veb. She found people treated her differently when given that knowledge, and she had no desire to change Loric's opinion of her.

The sage was shaking from the information that the innkeeper had just given him, "This object...what is it? ", he asked tentatively.

Stille shrugged,"A very realistic statue of a tall female halfling. A representation of the halfling Commodore Adara, from the Great War. ", she replied.

The sage breathed deeply. "Not many people know this, but the Blue mage was one of the first artificer's in the world. I've been to many ruins attributed to her in the north and I've discovered many of her creations. Golems, constructs, and even prototypes of the first warforged. This halfling statue you possess may very well be the item I seek." , beamed the sage nervously.

"I certainly hope so. I love advancing knowledge and discov...", began Stille but was suddenly interrupted by a feral growl.

The baroness knew immediately what it was and she motioned for the sage to stay behind her. "I got this. This might end sooner then we think. ", she said confidently as she drew her sword and shield.

The priestess intoned a few words and several blue runes shone around her . Prayers of conviction and protection were weaved around her . Loric was taken back, as he had not expected such powers from his recent companion.

Stille motioned for him to stay back as she advanced towards the source of the growls. As she drew closer the noise stopped. The baroness knew it was close, and it was probably watching her as she approached. She was in a clearing at the edge of the forest, full of ancient stones of a long forgotten ruin. There were many similar megaliths and ruins in her barony and Stille thought nothing of them save for their tactical applications. The demon had many hiding spots in the area, but the baroness also knew it gave her some cover as she approached. The upcoming battle could degenerate into a deadly game of cat and mouse. A normal cleric would hesitate , but Stille had plenty of experience in her youth of such hunts.

"You can come out now. You won't escape me that easily. ", Stille hissed to herself as she reinforced her shield with further magics.

Suddenly a large form stepped silently out into the open. It was a tall man , almost as big as Raoul but bearing a proud noble stature. He had well groomed grey hair and a weathered face and he projected power and command from his stance.

"Hal..Halvor ?", gasped the baroness as she confronted her husband.

The big knight smiled and took a step towards his wife.

Stille froze as a single tear fell down her cheek.

Longing and desire filled her , as the love of her life stood before her.

"HOLY SMITE! ", the priestess intoned as she suddenly brought a wave of divine power crashing down on the old baron. Stille gauged the distance and area of her spell carefully as she struck down her husband. Despite being a priestess of light, her unique heritage made her susceptible to her own holy magics.

Halvor shrieked a terrible cry, it filled the air and cut through even the sound suppressing trees. The big knight fell to the ground and almost instantly reverted into the form of a wounded succubus.

Stille half expected Martinez to have exaggerated the wounds he inflicted on this creature the previous night, but it did indeed have a terrible wound in its chest, and an almost severed wing. " You think your simple ploys will affect me ! If it didn't work on that fool Martinez what chance do you think I would fall to it! ", she shouted as she rushed the stricken creature.

The baroness slashed downwards with a heavy blow. The succubus recovered enough of its wits and spectacular speed to scramble out of the blade's path, but Stille's skill and power still managed to slice the creature deeply in the leg. "You dare prey on my people ! You dare desecrate the image of my husband ! " , the priestess roared as she cornered the demoness.

Stille raised her weapon again as she stood before the cowering demon. She was not typically a violent person, but the atrocities this creature had committed demanded swift justice. She readied a spell to bind the creature, to prevent it from escaping but oddly she couldn't recall the words.

The baroness paused as she found her mind filled with a heavy fog. She instantly suspected some form of magic, and intoned a dispel. Stille stopped as she realized she could not work that spell as well . Only grunts and hisses escaped her lips as her spell failed. The succubus saw this delay and seized her opportunity by scampering safely behind an ancient stone. Stille wasn't sure what was happening but somehow the tables had been turned on her. She turned to Loric to warn him to flee, but only hisses and growls came from her mouth.

"My...my ... you certainly had me deceived. ", frowned Loric. "I was under the impression that I was following a simple innkeeper who was part of the militia and dabbled in hedge magic. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you possess more divine magic then even that fool Emilo. ", the sage lamented as he slowly shook his head.

Stille had trouble understanding the man and found even organizing her thoughts to be impossible. She was only aware of the fact there was an enemy behind a stone nearby , and a dangerous person was nearby.

"It's a pity really. I find your personality and knowledge delightfully refreshing . If you hadn't reveal the extent of your powers, I would have sacrificed my witless servant there to gain your trust . Together, we would have mended the wards I disrupted. Afterwards , with your now gained trust, I would have negotiated with the baroness and retrieve this halfling statue of hers. With the demon defeated and no sign of its terrible master, I could have finished my research in peace. I'm sure I could have smuggled some live sacrifices to my magics in secret into the barony to not arouse suspicion. During the day I could relax in Anna's or your own soft company at the inn, at night I could pursue my dark arts. All in all , a pleasant scenario don't you think. However, you have shown yourself much to dangerous to live. A person with your magical skills would eventually see past my guise, and may even threaten my person. I would have preferred the easy route, but it looks like I'll have to do things the hard way. You know , steal the statue, murder anyone that gets in my way, and summon more demons to keep intruders out . All so I can pry into the mysteries of the Blue mage.", explained Loric off handedly.

"Fee..eble...mi..nd. ", sputtered Stille with tremendous effort.

Loric paused and looked amazed at Stille , "Very good. Even with your thoughts slowly unraveling you managed to deduce my tactics. Before you become a vegetable like my servant here , I wish to congratulate on your accurate deduction. As you can surmise, I am a practitioner of the dark arts. Unlike ..lets say Enchanters, Summoners, Beguilers...or even Necromancers, those that practice the blackest of magics have to do so in secret and generally in seclusion. There is no Great Academy like in Grom City, Beguiler's School as in Narwhal Hold, or even that old fool Boryis the Spyder's enlightened harem of brides. Due to people's fear and ignorance , the study of black magics is considered illegal and dangerous. Even the morally challenged nations of the world frown upon their practice. This has caused many aspects of my art to be lost. One of the reason's I am seeking the Blue Mage's secrets is to "fill in the holes" so to speak. In ancient days, to summon demons and bind them to your will , required such spells as magic circle, caccodemon, wrack, and various other specialized spells are hard to find and jealously guarded. Sadly I do not have knowledge of such enchantments, but I have made do with I possess. I found feeblemind to be a double edge sword in demon summoning. On one hand it is very reliable and hard to resist, it turns the demon into an idiot, and thus easier to control . On the other hand , its an idiot and very unreliable. Also it can no longer use the bulk of its magics, only instinctual supernatural powers are available. ", the summoner proudly explained while pointing at its injured servant hiding behind a rock.

Stille continued to hold her sword, but did not know what to do. She could feel the man before her was addressing her but could not understand every word he said. She sensed he was once a friend, but now wasn't so sure. She felt so confused .

"Minion! Come here !", demanded Loric. The succubus hobbled its way to the summoner and knelt at its side. Loric smiled then slapped the demoness across the cheek. "How dare you stalk someone in my presence. I was prying valuable information from her until you interrupted. What's worse, you managed to have poor Stille here almost beat you. You would have been killed if I didn't interfere. ", he scolded.

The succubus cringed and hissed, but made no attempt to resist her master.

Loric sighed, " I suppose I can't be that angry. Your rash actions did reveal the level of power she possesses. I suppose , in your own warped way, you were trying to warn me. ", he said as he relaxed his hand and stroked the demoness's hair.

"I'll tell you what. I'll go make preparations to plunder this barony's keep. You can feast on our troublesome innkeeper here. I can sense she has a lot of life energy. That should take care of some of your injuries. ", smiled Loric as he turned and walked towards the keep.

Stille wasn't sure what was happening but readied her sword and shield when the man left. A twinge of fear coursed through her body as the demoness stalked towards her. The dark haired creature was naked and possessed a lewd sensual beauty . Even though it had a broken leather wing, horns, and a tail...Stille felt a kinship to this creature. Despite the bond she felt, she also felt danger, as an instinctive feeling of hunger from the demoness over powered her.

Stille thought about running, but her battle instincts told her to face her foe. Even though she could not think straight, years of combat taught her it was safer to face this foe rather then flee from it. As she prepared for battle, the demoness suddenly leaped at her. Stille smashed her shield into the creature's face but its lightning fast claws still managed to strike her upper arm, shredding armor, leather, and flesh like a piece of braised meat. The succubus was stunned by the blow and reeled backwards. Even though the injury was much more severe then the blow she gave the succubus, Stille managed to score a strike against her attacker, neatly slicing off its unwounded wing with her holy blade.

The succubus screeched again in pain. The sound was terrifying and Stille could feel her bones rattle from the scream. She wasn't sure why this creature was attacking her, but she pressed her advantage by charging her opponent. The demoness was injured badly, but it still possessed its terrifying speed. It ducked under Stille's slow attack and slapped her tail against her foot. It wasn't a powerful blow, but it put the baroness off balance and sent her crashing into the ground.

Stille tried to scramble to her feet, but the succubus almost instantly pounced on her shoulders. The creature raked her back repeatedly , tearing off chunks of armor and flesh in the process. Stille screamed in pain from the onslaught and tried to roll to safety. Even though the baroness was much stronger then she looked, the Succubus's strength was substantially greater. The demon trapped her victim and bit into Stille's shoulders . The sickening snapping of bones could be heard throughout the clearing as the demoness rendered the baroness's arm immobile.

Tears of pain and failure flowed down the Stille's cheek. She couldn't think coherently, but she somehow knew she had failed. She had failed herself, her people, and even the big knight whose image always danced on the edge of her mind. The demon then bit her deeply in the neck and Stille felt her life blood flow freely. She waited for the killing blow from her tormentor but it didn't come.

A soft serpent's tongue licked Stille's ear, followed by a soft kiss on her neck. It was warm and pleasurable, but the priestess knew that her soul was now unraveling along with her thoughts. Dark despair filled her as the creature turned her on her back and played with her panting lips. She wasn't sure how she knew but she did. The creature would not kill her immediately , instead it would smother her in lust and slowly feed on her.

As the baroness grew weaker she was stricken by a moment of helpless clarity. She wondered if she would die from loss of blood or from the succubus's sinister embrace. Regardless of how she died, she knew nothing would be left of her except for a drained shell.


	8. Chapter 8

Martinez watched as Raoul easily outpaced not only himself but the mounted Sir Jose on his large green dog. The duelist knew that the half giant could channel the same energy he used to create his staff to hasten his stride as well. Martinez found himself jealous at times by his companion's peculiar powers, but he was normally just thankful that Raoul fought for him and not against him.

As the duelist considered his friend's gifts, the half giant suddenly held out his hand. Martinez and Jose both stopped from the signal. Although the Husky knight was more a drinking buddy then an adventuring companion, he knew enough to obey Raoul's warning.

"Something coming this way ...fast. ", growled the half giant as he took cover on the side of the road.

Martinez nodded as he slipped swiftly behind a different tree and then practically vanished. The duelist knew he fought best from surprise and ambush.

Sir Jose however, waited on the road. Although the Knights of the Husky did not wear bright armor like some of the other noble Orders, the fact he rode a giant dog made it hard for him to hide. Instead , he stood defiantly with his sword and shield at the ready. " Come, demon..or whatever you are. Come face the blade of Sir Jose and his companions. We'll show them how we deal with evil outsiders where we come from. NORTH DAROKIN REPRESENT! Que viva la Daro Raza!", he shouted down the winding path.

Raoul looked at the tree that Martinez had vanished behind and shrugged. Martinez simply rolled his eyes and sighed at his acquaintance's nationalistic pride.

"You know. I love my adopted homeland as well, but you really love it , don't cha? I thought Sir Rollo would have taught you proper Grommish mannerisms and speech by now. ", smirked Raoul.

"He has, but he's not here is he? Its just me and my Esays. ", grinned Jose.

Martinez considered shooting both of these fools to silence them. It was bad enough a big half giant and a knight riding a dog was on the road, but now they were shouting and trading quips with each other. If it was the demoness he had encountered last night, he doubt it would continue down the path towards them.

As the duelist considered yelling at the pair to be quiet, suddenly a young boy burst down the twisting path . He looked shocked at the large dog and knight suddenly before him and almost fell on his face as he attempted to stop.

"Jimmy! Don't panic. That's just Sir Jose. A friend. I thought I told you to go back to town. The first time you followed us was cute, but this is no time to play around. ", barked Martinez as he stepped out of the shadows.

Jimmy bent over and breathed heavily, attempting to recover his breath. The boy had obviously sprinted a long way . "I smelled...I smelled brimstone...near the western ruins. Just like the scent in the clearing where you ...where you ...defeated the demon. ", the boy panted.

"This boy can smell and identify brimstone? Remarkable !", declared Jose in surprise. " Heck..I can't even do that. " , he added.

Raoul grinned. "That's cuz you don't bathe enough. Your own foul odor masks the smell. ", the half giant snorted .

Martinez ignored the pair as he focused on Jimmy. "Did you warn everyone ? Did you warn Stille ?", the duelist asked intently.

Jimmy nodded, then shook his head. " I did..mostly..I warned the guard post , and most of the villagers, but I couldn't find the baroness. I thought I should tell you guys as soon as I could. ", he managed to blurt out.

Martinez nodded and messed young Jim's hair in acknowledgement. "Good work. Now you better head to the keep right away. ", the duelist ordered.

Jimmy had a disappointed look on his face, but nodded and began sprinting to the keep.

Jose made a fist and slammed it into his open palm. "Alright, some action at last. Quickly to the western ruins ! ", he ordered.

Raoul and Martinez stared at each other and shrugged as neither man knew enough of the barony to find a path to the indicated area.

"JIMMEZ! Come back here! ", shouted Raoul .

* * *

"This way , this way !", cried Jimmy.

Sir Jose nodded at the boy sitting in front of him. The thought of a coming battle energized the knight. Raoul felt his previous fatigue flow away from him, and all thoughts of self doubt vanished. He was sure the foe that struck down his master was nearby , and the fury of vengeance spurred him on.

"Jimmy is right. The scent of brimstone is strong. ", shouted Raoul from behind.

Since picking up the boy , Jose took the lead of their group. Martinez petitioned for a more cautious advance, but Jose would have none of that. From the knight's experience, their current foe thrived on indecision and delay , best to overwhelm them with speed and power. He could sense the duelist bristling at his choice of attack, but Jose knew that his friend would get over it. Especially after they claimed their victory.

*HOLY SMITE*

A clear voice echoed through the forest.

"That sounded like Stille. ", commented Martinez.

*SSSKKKRREEEEEEEEE*

A terrible cry then filled the air, and it gave pause to the band of demon hunters.

"That was really close. ", squeaked Jimmy . Although the boy tried to appear unfazed from the demonic shriek, Jose could sense he was deathly afraid . As a paladin, Jose was outwardly immune to fear, but he understood and felt it well. It drove men to acts of bravery if harnessed correctly, or cowardice if it ran out of control. Although Martinez and Raoul handled the terror well, the boy on Greenpaw didn't. The knight internalized the emotion and released it as a calming aura around him. Jose noted that it immediately settled the boy's nerves.

"We're almost there. ", commented Jimmy with a calmer voice. Jose smiled, the boy hadn't completely mastered the terror, but at least he was able to over come it. It was quite an impressive feat for one so young.

As the group rushed to the distressed cries they suddenly encountered a robed man on the road. His sudden appearance surprised the demon hunters, and from the look of the man's face it surprised him as well.

"Help...help ! A demon . A winged demon attacked..it... attacked my friend down the road. ", pleaded the man as he pointed down the path.

"Thanks. ", replied Martinez tentatively , as both the duelist and the half giant fled down in the direction indicated.

"WAIT! ", shouted Jose as he drew his sword and lowered Jimmy off of his mount. Greenpaw reared up and snarled at the man with every indication he was ready to attack.

Martinez and Raoul both stopped at the knight's command. In a flash Martinez readied his crossbow and fired a pair of bolts at the man before them. The robed figure simply raised his hands and the bolts deflected harmlessly to the side. A staff of force then flared into the half giant's hand, while a pair of daggers suddenly were in the hands of the duelist, replacing the crossbow that had appeared to have vanished .

"Oh my. It appears my guise has been pierced it seems. ", laughed the robed man.

"You evaded the Knights of the Husky one too many times with your tricks, Pierre.", snarled Sir Jose. He waved the boy back as he confronted the summoner and Jimmy responded by skittering nervously behind a tree.

" Pierre? Pierre? Oh yes, I recall now. An alias I used several months ago, when I lead your merry band on a wild goose chase outside Grom City , I believe. A great place to procure unwanted orphans I might add. I've changed my name since then, you may refer to me as Loric now. ", said the summoner smugly.

A high pitched woman's scream then sounded followed by another shriek .

Martinez looked at his companions, and both Raoul and Jose nodded . The duelist took a tentative step back then fled down the path towards the cry of distress.

"Oh you better hurry. The fair innkeeper is in danger. The damsel awaits, and she is definitely in distress. ", smiled the summoner as he waved at the fleeing demon hunter.

"Wait. Anna is in trouble? The nice girl with the gap tooth and the pies? I thought she was at the keep. ", puzzled Jose suddenly.

"Errr...no . Not Anna. The other innkeeper. The tiefling one, the one that hides her features. It was a clever disguise, but I wasn't about to be rude enough to expose it publicly. I am a gentleman after all. ", smirked Loric. " I quite liked the girl before she showed me her true talents. ", added the summoner.

"Wait..there are two innkeepers? And one is a tiefling? Hmm...Might she be the succubus? Maybe she's been living amongst these people all this time, preying on them from the shadows. The people sent to fight the gnomes and the general poor economy made for a smaller feeding pool, so the creature has started to attack more brazenly. She's so bold now she rents out her services to vile practitioners of the dark arts now, while hiding in plain sight as an innkeeper. ", remarked an even more confused Jose.

"That's ridiculous! I thought only Martinez can come up with something that dumb. She can't be the succubus you fool. The succubus works for the summoner you are after. Since he is right in front of you and he already admitted he pierced her disguise, they obviously do not know each other previously. ", sighed Raoul.

"She's not a demon! She's an angel! ", added Jimmy.

"Great Yab and Zab ! ", the summoner declared, invoking the names of his patron dark gods. " Sir Jose is it not? I did not believe you were so reliant on Sir Rollo till now. If I knew how clueless you were without him, I would have taken him out ages ago."

"Your trail of destruction is over. This ends now. ", responded the knight as he dismissed the criticisms directed at him by both his foes and allies.

"Oh you are quite right. This does end now. ", smiled Loric. He waved his hand and a shadow rose from the ground. Two terrible shapes seemed to struggle and writhe in the darkness before emerging from their prison. The forms coalesced and materialized into a pair of 10 foot tall humanoid vultures. Then the summoner took a runic slab hidden from his robe and whispered to it before throwing it before him. A red glow surrounded the large stone amulet before it was consumed by a crimson flash. Standing where the talisman once stood was an obsidian skinned warrior roughly the height of Raoul , armored in demonic armor, and wielding a greatsword that seemed crafted by some form of blasphemous organic material. Wisps of smoke escaped the dark warrior's armor as a terrible killing intent radiated from him. Jimmy, Raoul, Loric and even the vulture demons took a step back from the choking aura the warrior radiated.

Jose and Greenpaw stood their ground resolutely though, and the dark warrior tipped his head in appreciation to their bravery. The vulture demons recovered , then screeched in anger and took a step forward, but were intercepted by Raoul.

"I see my friends have chosen their dance partners. I would love to see how things will turn out, but I have urgent buisness at the keep with the baroness. Please enjoy yourselves.", commented the summoner as he faded away.

Sir Jose glared at where Loric vanished . "Good luck finding her! I haven't been able to find her since I got here! ", shouted the knight before spurring his mount towards the demons.

* * *

Martinez raced towards the screams.

The duelist's heart pounded as he ran down the road. Vulture shrieks sounded behind him, and the demon hunter knew that the magician had summoned Vrocks. A deadly warrior caste demon.

"What am I doing ? ", he asked himself as he readied for battle. He should have been fighting shoulder to shoulder with Raoul and Jose against whatever horrors that summoner had unleashed , instead of racing down this path to the ruins. The scream could have come from anyone, not necessarily Stille. Even if it was the bossy baroness , she was more then capable of handling herself. If it wasn't the baroness, would even his amazing combat abilities be able to defeat the succubus again in battle ? The skreech sounded familiar, but who knows if it had additional allies this time.

It would have been smarter if he engaged the summoner as part of the group then moved on to whatever lied ahead, he reasoned again. Splitting up and weakening your position with no clear tactical advantage to be gained was foolhardy and dangerous. He could well envision his friends failing due to the fact his exceptional combat skills were not there to aid him, and seeing himself outnumbered and overwhelmed by whatever menace lied ahead.

As the duelist second guessed himself he stopped as he was greeted by a horrific sight. The demon that he shot and injured the previous night was straddling the prone bloody body of the baroness. Martinez watched in horrid fascination , not at the obscene way the succubus was writhing and licking Stille's immobile form, but at the red pool of blood leaking out of the deep wounds from the baroness's body. As a demon hunter, Martinez had slain many demons . Most bled black blood, some even had smoke or acid in their veins , the very worst of them leaked rivers of maggots , flies , and even once he saw small tentacled creatures flow out of their wounds. Despite the baroness's infernal heritage her blood was simply red, and from the way it flowed and gathered around her , it appeared for all purposes to be normal human blood. The baroness just lied there , her body slowly convulsing in its death throes like one of many innocent victims that the duelist had witnessed from countless demon attacks.

The succubus paused its unnatural erotic feeding and turned to face Martinez. It smiled and slowly licked Stille's cheek and throat with its long unnatural tongue before screeching an ear splitting challenge .

All thoughts of doubt vanished from Martinez at the demon's challenge.

"Let's do this bitch. ", he snarled as he charged his foe.

* * *

Raoul swung his glowing staff at the pair of vulture demon's in a sweeping arc. His swing was wide, but the intent of his first strike was to scatter his foes rather then injure them. He needed to split them up if he was to stand any chance against the pair.

He had fought one before a few years ago, but that was a vastly different situation then the one he found himself in now. He and Martinez had tracked the creature down, set an ambush , and lured the demon into it. When he finally engaged the monster , his job was simply to get its attention while his boss unleashed a flurry of lethal strikes at its unprotected back. The creature that day was dispatched very cleanly and by the book, and the half giant fondly recalled the victory celebrations at the local inn afterwards. Agave worm juice till they were passed out , if he recalled correctly.

Today was different.

He was outnumbered and with no real plan . Although the summoner said he was leaving, there was a real possibility he was just waiting in the shadows , preparing for an opportunistic blow . He wanted to yell for Martinez to return, but knew his boss had most likely other worries on his mind. The half giant knew he was smitten with the baroness despite his protests against her aristocratic and infernal background.

The vulture demon on his right recovered first from the half giant's wide sweep and quickly counterattack with a lunge . He flew at Raoul with claws and beak , but due to its sudden shift of momentum , it wasn't able to put its full weight into the attack. The half giant simply shifted his staffs grip and slid the bulk of its length to his left. As the demon closed in, the giant swiftly slammed the staff back with devastating force into the demon's head. The staff crackled with energy as it smashed and shattered the monster's beak. The creature attempted to shriek in pain, but could only manage an angry gargle as it fell back from the half giant's strike.

"Look out! ", cried Jimmy as Raoul turned and faced his other foe. The half giant was surprised at how swift the second demon was in following his brethren forward. He had expected a few seconds more delay , but the second demon launched its attack almost immediately after the first.

Despite his size, the half giant side stepped and twisted towards his opponent. Raoul managed to dodge the attack, and followed up his circular movement with a crushing elbow to the monster's back. The range between them was too close to effectively use his force staff, but the half giant's close quarter strike was as deadly as any weapon . He could feel vertebrae and ribs crack from the force of his blow as the vulture demon squawked in pain.

Before the giant could celebrate, the creature unleashed a cloud of spores from its feathers . Raoul knew his foes possessed such an attack, and hoped he had the stamina and endurance to weather it. The spores clung to his skin, and seemed to grow and sprout rapidly into his hide. Like some sort of twisted perverted weed, the sprouts dug painfully into his skin. The half giant gathered some of his mental energy and attempted to dull the pain with a surge of vigor from his psionic reserves. Before he could fully recover , a heavy claw struck the half giant against the side followed by another parasitic spore cloud.

Raoul reeled from the attack by the first demon, surprised that it had recovered from its shattered beak so quickly. The half giant reacted instinctively by simply stepping back and sweeping his staff low to the ground. Even though both vulture demons were substantially bigger then the large half giant, they had thin builds and Raoul also suspected they had hollow bones similar to the creatures they emulated. The half giant on the other hand was a creature of solid muscle and power. He matched his power against theirs and was victorious as both monsters were upended by the giant's upending technique.

Raoul unleashed a howl of triumph , as he shifted his staff once more so he only gripped one end of it. He raised the weapon high above him before bringing it crashing down on one of his prone opponents. Due to the spores that started to obscure his vision, he wasn't sure if he struck the one with the shattered beak , or the busted spine. Whatever the case, the half giant felt a satisfying crunch as his weapon pulverized his foe.

Just as swiftly as he dispatched his enemy, the other vulture demon sprang to its feet and tackled the half giant. Raoul committed to much of his power and momentum to his overhead spring and was unable to counter or dodge the demon's attack. The monster flung his body at the half giant and Raoul soon found himself knocked to the ground. His staff fell from his hands and dissipated a few seconds later as he found himself grappling with the vulture demon on the road. Despite his greater strength, the demon's sharp claws and beak gave it a distinct advantage in the clinch. The half giant attempted to counter and block the frenzy of attacks unleashed on him, but the vulture demon's persistent strikes slowly ripped and tore the half giant's flesh. Even his psicionically enhanced vigor was no match for the demon's terrible attacks.

* * *

Greenpaw howled before leaping at the obsidian skinned demon. The large green dog was a ferocious opponent and a veteran of many battles, but the demonic warrior simply sidestepped the attack and drove the pommel of its blade against the dog's head. Tendrils of dark unholy energy seemed to leap from his weapon into the war mount as it struck. Greenpaw whined as it's body went limp and then crashed and rolled into a tree.

Jose hopped off his mount nimbly and managed to roll into a combat stance . He glanced at his faithful companion and with a wave of his hand dismissed him back to the mountains of Celestia to recover.

The dark warrior glared at the now dismounted knight and nodded his head at his daring dismount. "Well done, most knights would have been crushed by their falling mounts . Before I slay you, an introduction is in order. I am Sir Malleus of Zeletar , a dark swordsman in service to my lord Graz'zt but due to a prior obligation I am contracted to be your opponent this fine evening. ", declared the demonic warrior in a smooth almost serpent like voice.

Sir Jose ignored the opening pleasantries and simply slashed his sword in a quick stroke. He didn't wish to over commit attack since his opponent had a two handed weapon, but hoped to get a quick strike in while keeping his shield at the ready.

The demonic warrior grinned a maw full of pointed sharp teeth , while swinging his demonic great sword at Jose. Although his shield was at the ready, the dark warrior's blow was not directed at the knight , but instead struck his holy blade. Dark tendrils once again sprouted and enveloped the glowing weapon. The holy blade flashed briefly from the exchange and then shattered from the impact. Sir Jose fell back in shock as his sacred weapon was sundered from his grasp.

"A well executed blow, but as you can see my counter was stronger. Judging by your appearance , I assume you are one of the legendary Knight's of the North? I find this dimension's myriad of fighting orders and combat brotherhoods fascinating. This place has a reputation you know , as a breeding ground for a host of powerful warriors. Although I was summoned by an infernal contract, to tell you the truth I would have jumped at the opportunity to come here to pit myself against one of this world's elite fighting caste.", said the demon .

Jose threw the shattered hilt of his weapon to the ground, and rushed the demon with his shield. The creature was not as large as the monsters Raoul was battling, and the Husky knight hoped his bull rush would be able to knock his foe down.

The demon sidestepped the clumsy strike again and gave Jose a slight tap as he passed. The light blow threw the knight off balanced as he crashed into the ground. Jose quickly rolled to his haunches to face his foe, and barely managed to bring his shield up before the demonic greatsword slammed into him. The shield was made from the finest northern steels and twice blessed by holy men from his Order, but it was covered in darkness and then shattered like dry wood before the demon's strike. Jose reeled in pain as the greatsword continued down its path and sliced open his armor and arm. The knight barely managed to shift his weight and divert his attackers force as he scrambled to his feet.

"Excellent! Bravo! I applaud you for evading the brunt of my strike. I am quite proud of my technique, and am surprised at your ability to survive it. Your honor and reputation as a knight is well deserved. ", commented the demon as he bowed curtly to the knight.

"Shut up! Mallo , Mallik or whatever your name is ! I'm here to kill you , not to make friends. ", rasped Jose as he gazed upon his undamaged foe.

The Husky knight considered his options. He glanced and saw Raoul engaged in a deadly grapple with a vulture demon. The half giant had already dispatched one of his foes , and the knight was unsure if his comrade would be able to finish the other. Jose guessed he would not be able to rely on back up from him. His foe was some form of cambion or demonic hell knight, definitely a demonic sword master of some sort. He conceded that his foe's ability with weapons was much greater then his, but he wasn't about to surrender this battle . Jose was short on options, but reasoned that the only way to defeat this demon was to summon a power he longed promised never to use again.

The demonic knight nodded again at his gasping foe. "You have put up an excellent battle, but it is at end. Do not despair at your loss though, take solace in the fact you have not begged for mercy or cried in despair like so many holy warriors I have dispatched in the past. I salute your battle spirit. ", the demon said as he raised his blade in a salute before he advanced with his weapon at the ready.

Jose simply stood up proudly and drew a dagger from his scabbard.

"Superb! Even with your holy blade sundered you attempt to battle me with your dagger. I admire your fighting spirit and courage even more now ! I will not dishonor your bravery by toying and playing with you like so many of my brethren would. I will end you quickly and painlessly. ", smiled the demonic warrior once more in appreciation.

Jose spat ."This dagger is not for you cabrone!", hissed the Husky knight, as he brought the dagger to his armpit.

The demon warrior stopped and lowered his blade. "Oh my...how exciting ! Am I to witness the act of Seppukku ? Or perhaps the Thyatian Ritual of failure ? I have heard of some of the suicide rituals of some of this world's warrior cultures, but I never dreamt I would witness it myself. Please, do not let me disturb you in your duty to honor . ", smiled the demon .

Jose brought the dagger down and slashed the straps to his breast plate. He then shook off his pauldrons as most of his upper armor fell to the ground. The demon stared in surprise as the Husky knight then sliced a piece of cloth from his cloak before throwing his dagger to the side.

Jose took the cloth and wrapped it around his eyes, forming a crude mask.

"Ahora luchamos! ", declared the knight proudly.

* * *

The duelist charged the demon, and wished he would have taken time to reload his crossbow. The creature before him was far from invincible, but it was deadly in hand to hand . Any wound he took from the succubus had the potential to be a lethal one. He regretted wasting his shots against the wizard as he advanced.

The duelist noted that despite its recently clipped wing, most of the wounds he had inflicted on it last night had healed. The wing he crippled was no longer crippled, and even the wound at its melon sized left breast seemed to have vanished save for an ugly but superficial scar. Martinez glanced at Stille and knew the source of the creature's renewed vigor and felt anger fueling his attack.

The duelist knew he had a slight reach advantage with his daggers, and gauged the best time to strike. He only afforded himself a small margin of error if he was to dispatch the creature without being struck back in return.

Despite its hissing , the succubus calmly waited for Martinez to close. When the demon hunter was within range, it suddenly twirled impossibly fast and lashed its tail at the duelist's hand. The unexpected attack surprised Martinez and the strike stunned his hand forcing him to drop a dagger.

The demon hunter had hoped to lead with a feint with one dagger while delivering the real strike with the other, and in a split second saw the demoness reading to parry or block his remaining weapon. Its cat like eyes narrowing in on his blade.

Acting on instinct , Martinez dropped the remaining dagger as well and stretched both his hands forward. The succubus's eyes followed the dropped weapon for an instant , but that was all the distraction the duelist needed. He wrapped both his hands around its head taking away its unnatural ability to dodge, then brought his knee upwards into the monster's face. The creature was normally immune to normal punches and kicks, but the demon hunter's leg pads were laced with cold iron . An explosion of blood erupted from the Succubus's face as its nose was shattered against the demon hunter's knee.

The demon twirled quickly and caught Martinez with a wing buffet from its remaining wing. The attack was far from deadly , but it did land heavily on the duelist's side, causing him to release the demoness's head. The creature fell back, and landed on all fours before Martinez.

The duelist knew that for all intents and purposes he was disarmed . His daggers were on the ground, his crossbow wasn't loaded, and he only had a few questionable weapons remaining at his disposal. He could attempt to bayonet the creature with his crossbow, but the act of drawing and triggering his weapons blade would take too long. All he was a pair of blessed cold iron brass knuckles and some throwing blades at the ready, that were more for show and intimidation then actual combat.

The demon prepared to leap, while Martinez started to reach towards his weapon belt. The duelist noted that despite the black blood covering its face it looked more like a hunting cat ready to pounce then a naked demon woman . He wasn't sure what he would draw that would be effective in this situation and he hoped he would make the right choice.

As his his steady hand drew close, the succubus paused. Martinez noted its eyes glanced towards his hand before it turned quickly and scampered into the darkness. The duelist wasted no time in recovering his blades in case the demon's courage returned.

After a few tense moments, Martinez was satisfied that his foe had fled. The thought of tracking it didn't cross his mind as he swiftly examined the gravely wounded baroness.

"This is bad. ", he muttered to himself as he saw her torn jugular. He retrieved one of many prepared bandages in his pack and applied it to the cursed wound in the hopes to staunch the bleeding. He saw she was also wounded on her back and turned her on her side. As he prepared another patch, he was taken back by the sight he saw.

"Oh...you keep way too many secrets , dear baroness. ", he sighed as he wrapped the dieing woman in his cloak.

* * *

Raoul punched the vulture demon in its side. He felt one of the creature's ribs break but the monster continued its relentless assault. Despite his powerful strikes, the demon continued to rake, claw and peck the half giant in return. Raoul knew he would lose very soon at the rate they exchanged blows and the speed of the spores burrowing into his skin.

The half giant repertoire of psychic powers were mostly based on the physical realm, and they ,despite their impressive effects, would have little bearing in this contest. The best he could do was to continually feed his supernatural vigor to withstand the blows and subtly increase his strength, both were effective in other battles, but useless in this deadly one sided grapple.

Despite the battle rapidly slipping from his grasp, the giant battled on. His best hope was to fight defensively, blocking as many blows as he could . If he was lucky, Martinez or Jose would dispatch their foes and aid him. It wasn't much of a tactic, but it was the best the half giant could think of.

As the Raoul battled on, the monster shrieked in pain. The vulture demon released its grip as it batted something on its back. Raoul scrambled back and saw young jimmy tossed like a rag doll from its back. The demon turned to face the boy , and the half giant saw the cold iron dagger that Martinez had tossed to the boy earlier in the day embedded in its back.

Raoul seized the split second opportunity presented and summoned his staff once again. The effort strained the half giant to the limit, but he swung the weapon at the demon. The staff flashed eerily as it struck the cold iron dagger squarely in the monster's back. The creature shrieked as Raoul then kicked the stunned creature's legs out from under him. As the demon fell to the ground, the half giant swung his staff wildly at the prone creature. The strikes were not particularly well aimed or clustered effectively, but the barrage of the blows from the glowing weapon slowly beat and pounded the monster's resistance away.

* * *

"You wish to engage me with fisticuffs? ", asked the obsidian skinned Malleus in surprise.

Jose did not reply as he felt an untapped energy fill his soul. He had abandon this technique years ago when he began the long path of knighthood. Wielding the divine energy of Nirrodin, while using the time honored skills of the sword and shield were his preferred fighting style, but against his current foe they had proven useless. It was time to tap into something more primal , more brutal, more savage, more raw.

The demonic warrior stared in confusion then broke out into a smile. "Delightful ! I understand now. Am I correct in assuming you will attempt to engage me in one of the famous hand to hand arts of this dimension? Is it the feared Scorpion style of the monks of Tornic? Grommish street fighting? Thyatian coliseum Pankration? Perhaps Savate from the Karamekios? Oh..oh ...I know. Since you are a knight of the north, you must be using the infamous Crab style of the fist and foot? I must warn you before we begin another exchange, although I respect the martial arts, I have proven faster, stronger, and more skilled then you. I also have retained my weapon, which gives me a distinct advantage over an unarmed opponent , even one that specializes in martial melee techniques. ", declared the obsidian warrior earnestly.

Jose simply spat to the side, as if disgusted by his foes lack of respect . "I admit you are stronger, faster, and possibly more skilled then me. But my true skill is powered by honor, family, and courage. ", the masked knight explained with overwhelming confidence.

"Oh please. As a student of combat history , I can assure you that many organizations and groups have claimed the same thing . In each case , technique and tactics always overcome honor and courage. Did you also mention family? Unless you channel ancestral spirits like shamans, I think you should stop deluding yourself with such a romanticized notion of combat. ", challenged the obsidian warrior snidely.

The paladin simply crouched and waved at his opponent to make the first move.

* * *

"Good work...Jimmy. I didn't want you to get involved, but thanks for the assist. ", sputtered the half giant as the small battered boy helped him to his feet.

"Look! Sir Jose is in trouble Raoul. ", exclaimed Jimmy as he glanced at the wounded paladin and the obsidian warrior. "Oh no ! Jose is unarmed, and...err he's wearing a bandage around his face. We have to help him out ! " , added the boy .

Raoul wiped the blood from his eyes, and glanced at the two combatants. "Bandage? Wait..that's a mask. ", observed the half giant. Suddenly Raoul understood what was going on . "No...No...Jimmy look away! Look away now! ", exclaimed the half giant as he turned his head.

"Eh? Why? ", asked Jimmy confused. The boy wondered if the half giant took a few too many blows to the head .

"The fool is going to be using Daro Lucha ! Freestyle Darokin fighting. It's common knowledge that if you watch enough of its hypnotic patterns, you not only get hooked, but you grow steadily more stupid. So look away boy! ", exclaimed Raoul.

* * *

The obsidian warrior performed a flawless overhead swing with his great sword at his masked opponent.

"Espada Grabbo !", shouted Jose as he suddenly clapped his mighty hands together and trapped the blade. Dark tendrils sprouted from the weapon and wrapped around the masked knight's hands, but he paid them no attention. The obsidian skinned demon looked in shock for a second at this turn of events before Jose twisted the weapon out of his shocked hands.

"Supremo Falta ! ", shouted Jose as he swiveled his body and launched a massive straight leg into Malleus's face. The demon was still in shock from being disarmed and the blow caught him full on in the chin.

Jose pressed his advantage by scooping the much larger but stunned demon up and on his shoulders. Then started to spin rapidly in place. "Windmill spinno! ", he shouted before releasing his armored foe, and sending him twirling hard into the ground.

* * *

"Err...I don't understand. Why is he announcing his attacks? Like , none of them make any sense. Its like common sense , physics, and the laws of gravity has been suspended.", commented Jimmy as he was mesmerized by the battle.

"Damn it Jimmy ! I told you not to stare ! Turn away quickly! ", shouted Raoul.

"Jose ! Jose ! Jose! ", chanted the enthralled boy as he ignored his mentors warning.

* * *

"ENOUGH! ", shouted Malleus. Although he was battered, confused, and disarmed, the demon warrior lunged at Jose and caught the knight's bare stomach with his spiked shoulder. Jose gurgled and stumbled back before falling on his haunches.

"You cease to amuse me mortal. I shall finish you with my bare hands. ", gloated the demon. It pounced on the wounded knight and grasped his head in his armored arms. One was affixed to his forehead pulling back, while the other was around his throat, squeezing and cutting Jose's air supply.

"It will all be over soon. Rest well in the knowledge that you gave me a memorable fight. ", whispered the demon into the ear of his defeated foe.

Jose was in a weakened state and he tried to elbow his way from the demon's grip. Unfortunately his opponent had his back, and what few elbows that hit lacked power and were ineffective against his foe's armor. The brave knight raised his hand and pointed one finger in defiance.

"Ahh spirited till the end. That's good , prey should be lively. ", acknowledged the obsidian demon as he flashed his fangs in victory .

Jose futilely wrap his fingers around the constricting arm, but failed to get an effective grip. The lack of air made attempting to challenge his foe to a test of strength impossible. The knight could only raise his hand and pointed two fingers in defiance .

"That's it. Die for Malleus. Die like all mortals that challenge me.", gloated the demon .

Jose seemed to have lost all sense of tactics and technique as he began clawing into the air in desperation. The demon did not release his grip and it seemed to pour extra pressure onto the knight's neck. The knight weakly raised his hand and pointed three fingers in defiance , but then began to falter.

* * *

"Raoul ! Help him! He's getting choked to death. ", shouted Jimmy in fear.

"Didn't I tell you to stop watching. Besides, to interfere with a practitioner of Daro Lucha is prohibited, unless you're his tag partner or manager or something. Just turn away quickly before its too late. Don't be drawn in and lose your mind. ", hissed Raoul as he stared at a tree.

* * *

As Jose's hand lost its strength and began to fall in defeat, suddenly it seemed to be filled with some supernatural power. It shot straight up , and the knight began to stamp his feet in anger.

"WHAT?", cried the demon as the knight suddenly reached behind and grasped its armor. Then with seemingly impossible strength , he threw the creature overhead and it landed on the ground with a heavy thud.

* * *

"Wha...I just saw that and I can't believe that happened. He was almost choked out, and suddenly he powered out of it. I mean, if he had the strength to do that why didn't he break out in the first place. And now , he seems even stronger then before. It ..It doesn't make any sense. Shouldn't combatants get weaker during a battle, unless healed by divine magic or something. I didn't see him invoke his god or something, its like he just gets more powerful during the battle or something. It's so hard to stop watching . ", stated Jimmy as he was transfixed with the battle.

"Dear lord... he's already getting dumber. ", said Raoul shaking his head while staring at a tree.

* * *

Jose allowed his opponent to stand back onto his feet.

"Huracanrana !", he shouted before doing a hand stand, then snapping his legs shut around the neck of the battered demon. The knight then shifted his weight and slammed his opponent down back into the ground, pinning him with a double leg cradle move.

Malleus struggled on the ground in vain , and then suddenly vanished. Jose flipped back onto his feet, and saw that the obsidian warrior had reappeared by the sword he lost earlier. The dark warrior waved his left wrist and his sword rose to his hand, then he lifted his right arm and waved his right wrist and a steadily growing ball of fire appeared in it.

"You've forced me to use my magic. Not many foes have pushed me to that point. I don't know what form of reality bending attacks you have used against me, but I must say I am impressed by them. You are a much worthier foe then I initially gave you credit for, and for that I apologize. I will not hold back from this point on, know that I will grant you the privileged of dieing from my abyssal blast.", Malleus stated with a nod.

"Daros Lucha! ", shouted Jose as he fearlessly charged the dark warrior once more.

As the knight neared his foe, the dark warrior suddenly became translucent. "Oh dear. It appears my contract with the summoner is over. It has been my honor to spar with you. This is far from over though, we shall finish this anot...", said the warrior as he vanished from sight.

Jose tensed and awaited a surprise attack, when none came his battered body fell on one knee as the pain and injuries caught up to him. He wiped the sweat off his brow and took off his make shift mask.

"THAT WAS AWESOME! ", exclaimed Jimmy as he ran to tend to the knight's wounds.

"Let us partake in a round of Agave worm spirits! I think I have a bottle... OWWW! ", declared the knight before he was cuffed hard in the head by Raoul.

"You idiot! Look what you've done! You used your Daro Lucha in front of the boy and now Jimmy's an idiot!", exclaimed the giant while pointing at the excited and fervent boy.

"Let's just hope the baroness can cure him ! ", added the half giant in an angry tone.


	9. Chapter 9

Stille opened her eyes and found she was surrounded by an ocean of dark silver. The soft glow of a million stars surrounded her as she found herself drifting , weightlessly in the strange aether.

Thoughts of her defeat and betrayal sent a shudder down her spine. "I was rusty. I shouldn't have been so careless.", she said.

"Wait. I can talk again. The feeblemind curse has been lifted. ", she remarked. She then touched her neck and back and noticed no wounds.

"Am..Am I dead? ", she wondered out loud as she floated towards something that resembled a floating island . Even though the island was shrouded with mist , she could make out something resembling a garden decorated with rare topiaries and statues on it.

A tall muscular man with broad shoulders and a mane of grey hair, wearing a heavy suit of plate armor awaited her. Although he appeared old, there was still a youthful energy and rugged handsomeness to him, and an oddly a sense of familiarity to him.

Next to him was a vision of beauty and perfection that the baroness did not believe existed. She was the most beautiful elf she ever saw . Stille was stunned by the silver haired beauty before her . She was taller then herself and even though she wore a simple robe she had a noble serenity about her. The elf's skin was ivory and flawless, and her hair sparkled like a polished mirror . Her eyes shined like sapphires , and she had an aura of grace and nobility that Stille had never encountered before. When she was younger, the baroness basked in many compliments about her beauty , and for the most part believed in them. However, when compared to the elf before her , she felt more like a duck then a swan.

"Welcome to the gardens of Koryis! ", declared the man regally with a smirk. "To pass , you must show me your tits! ", he added.

Stille could not believe what she had just heard. The elven woman at the man's side rolled her eyes in disgust at the rude comment. The baroness stared at the man and suddenly a glint of recognition came to her. "Uncle...Uncle Frank?", she asked tentatively.

"Hey Hush, Sharliss, Stille, or whatever you call yourself these days. You can't blame an old man for wanting to see boobs. ", he laughed with a wolfish grin.

"We both have known him for over a century, and he hasn't changed one bit. ", commented the woman with a soothing husky voice.

"I'm sorry. You are? ", asked Stille attempting to discern the elf's identity. She had met many half elves in her life time and a few elves as well, but none looked remotely like this creature before her.

The elf motioned to Frank, and he handed her his shield. She put the shield near her face and spoke into it. "Hello Stille , its been too long. ", the woman said in a now echoing voice.

"Galatea! I did not realize this was your true form.", exclaimed Stille joyously before hugging the elf .

"My true form is that of a sword. However, we are on the astral plane, also known as the plane of thought, so my appearance reverts to how I appeared before my ... rebirth. ", the elf explained with a smile.

"No hug for Uncle Frank?", sniffed the knight. Stille smiled and hugged the old man as well. Although he was over a hundred, the former Grand Champion was remarkably well preserved. Stille thought it was a side effect from the miraculous artificat blade, Galatea, he wielded.

"I didn't realize you died. That is the reason you are here right? To guide me to the Library of Koryis so I can meet with Halvor , correct? ", she asked impatiently as thoughts of her beloved husband tempted her.

"Actually . I'm not sure if I'm dead. I've died so many times that they actually have a contingent of maruts to make sure I stay dead. Fat chance , if they think they can keep a brother down. Sometimes though, I wonder if I'm a petitioner dreaming that I'm alive. Or maybe I'm alive and dreaming I'm a petitioner. ", Frank said thoughtfully.

"Whoa.. That was almost insightful. I'm gonna have to write that down. ", he commented after some thought.

Stille regarded his comment with some suspicion. " I've lost count of how many times you've died as well Uncle Frank, but I find it highly unlikely you and Galatea have been waiting here for me till I pass away. Hmm...come to think of it , can swords even die? ", she asked.

Galatea laughed, "I can assure you I can ...die. I've actually stood at the exact same place where you are standing right now , when Sir Hildraxel shattered me inside Yeenoghu's skull. Only my companion's pack rat tendencies spared me from that fate. ", she explained.

Frank pointed both thumbs to himself when he heard himself mentioned.

"You do pose a good question though. I am not 100% sure why I find myself materialized before you. My best guess is that since we are on the edge of the astral plane we are most likely mnemonic echoes. Projections of our psyche from the numerous times we've traveled through the astral plane. Your entry here has some how , literally given form to our thoughts.", explained Galatea.

"Or...I am hallucinating as I lay dieing from the Succubus wound. However , I find your theory much more intriguing. I was striken by a feeblemind spell, I doubt my thoughts would be coherent even on my death bed. I guess you are here to guide me to the afterlife. ", Stille admitted.

" Well...not exactly. ", said Frank sheepishly. "For one thing you aren't mortal. Your half fiend nature makes you an outsider, therefore you follow different rules then everyone else. For example you don't become a petitioner. "

"I know, I know. I will be either dispersed and absorbed into my corresponding plane. Or if my spirit is strong enough , I will reform as a weaker version of myself. I know and dread this already. I just want to see Halvor once more before I fade away. ", sighed Stille.

"That isn't all my dear. You may not believe it, but you aren't dead yet. ", added Galatea.

"What? How? I was feebleminded, the Succubus tore my jugular , it was draining what little life I had. ", exclaimed Stille puzzled at the elf's revelation.

"Do not underestimate your companions. ", said Frank solemnly. "The kid sniffed the critter, out and ran to get the three blundering demon hunters. It was easy to find due to all the shrieking , and the demon decide to run instead of fight. I guess it fared less then well during the last exchange. ", shrugged the knight.

"Wait ..three demon hunters? Also, my wounds were quite serious. Even if they found me, I doubt I could survive. My injuries are beyond even Anna's skill.", pondered the baroness.

"I agree, you are not out of danger yet. I guess you can say you are on "Death's door ". However, Frank and I are not here simply to await for you to expire . Although we are unsure of how we are before you , we do know why we are.", said Galatea cryptically.

Stille found herself confused.

"We are here cuz of Halvor. ", answered Frank.

"Halvor? ", Stille said with an excitement in her heart she thought had long vanished.

" Although he can't be here right now he did wish to pass a message to you. His will has somehow conjured us to relay this message since he obviously can't. I'm gonna skip the waah waah he's watching over you , and the boo hoo he misses you stuff. He just wants to let you know he doesn't want you to suffer anymore. ", explained Frank.

"Suffer? I don't understand. ", replied the baroness unsure if she should be happy about the message or angry at the way Frank delivered it.

"Yeah, you know. Last 30 years you've been moping and shuttering yourself in. He thinks that stinks and you should get on with your life.", shrugged Frank.

"He was my husband for over seven decades. I do not think mourning for him is unreasonable. ", replied Stille with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Dear girl. Halvor loves you , and he only wants you to be happy. Watching you suffer silently for the sake of his memory brings only grief to his noble heart. ", explained Galatea in a more diplomatic fashion.

"Let's face it honey. If you were a human and you mourned for the rest of your life, that would suck, but at least it would be for a short time. However, despite your desire and your big act to be human, you aren't . You're something else. Don't take that as an insult , its just a fact. For all we know, you might very well be immortal, and it would drive Hal mad if you were to mourn him for eternity. He rather you be happy for the rest of your unnaturally long life rather then the shut in recluse you are now. Like really, wearing a grey wig ? Pretending to be an innkeeper? Baking pies for a living ? That's not the life for you. I know your type, you yearn for adventure and discovery. That's what you did before Hal bit it, and it tears him apart that you abandoned that path. ", stated Frank solemnly.

"I...I don't know what to say. Or even what to do...", stammered Stille in shock.

"You don't have to change right away. Go slow , Rawk knows you probably have all the time in the world. Do what you think is right and at your own pace. Start with that stupid wig, and ditch it. My gawd woman, its a crime to hide beauty like yours. If you weren't my best friend's daughter, I would have charmed your socks off and split you like a log ages ago. ", boasted the knight.

Stille uncharacteristically giggled and turned away red with embarrassment . "Oh Uncle Frank. You'll never change."

"He actually never stops. Its insufferable actually, but I hope you heed his words. They aren't just his, but Halvor's. Live your life, do not be shackled by regret or mourning. Honor those you bury with joy and life instead of gloom and exile. Oh and one more thing, Halvor wants you to learn to fly. ", smiled Galatea.

Stilled nodded and felt herself slowly fade away from the aether. Tears of joy streaked her face instead of tears of failure and despair. A new fire burned in her heart as she resolved to face the world with new hope.

* * *

"Ahh , you're awake baroness. Looks like you had a pleasant dream. ", smiled Martinez .

"I'm .. I'm alive?", asked the Baroness surprised she could communicate after recalling the enchantment placed on her by Loric. Stille found she was in her bed at the keep. A low candle burned on her night stand , while the demon hunter Martinez sat by her side.

"It wasn't easy. We got there just in time to see that Succubus playing suck face with you. Like man, I didn't think it would be that hot. I would have let it play with my body if I realized it would get that erotic. Anyways, we drove it back and got you back to the keep. Anna couldn't cure your cursed wounds, but luckily for you I'm a fast learner. I applied my salve in the way you suggested and amazingly it worked more or less. The feeblemind I removed with the handy dandy Stone of Almarth, though I did notice it visibly shrink in the process , it used a few charges removing the cures I guess. ", commented the duelist with a frown.

Her body felt sore and she noticed her neck and shoulder was heavily bandaged. She also felt them on her back. Suddenly her eyes grew wide with fear. Her armor was stripped, the duelist had seen her shame.

"Relax princess. Nobody knows but me. From the lack of caution Anna showed, I guess she doesn't know either. She still doesn't know by the way. I alone saw your wings, all four of them. It all makes sense now. You aren't just a tiefling are you. You're a half fiend. Those weren't vestigial or stunted appendages but full sized leathery wings, bigger then that succubus's . It must be a pain to keep them wrapped and folded like that. ", sighed Martinez.

Stille wasn't sure what to say. They both knew tieflings were tolerated in Grom, but half fiends were definitely not. While tieflings had only a hint of fiendish blood in them, half fiends were practically demons. Tieflings had minor almost pathetic powers so their heritage was tolerated, while half fiends wielded magical abilities that equaled and sometimes exceeded those of their demonic ancestors. Stille was a unique case in that she did not appear as horrific as most of her brethren were. At first she thought of herself as a normal tiefling , but a chance encounter with a tiefling scholar had revealed her true heritage. She was thankful her appearance allowed her to disguise her nature without resorting to magics and only a few people knew of her true form. She always kept her wings hidden to such a point, that she was unsure if she could even fly with them. Besides the deceased scholar Lilithy, only her husband Halvor , The Grand Crusader Sarin ,and her dear friends Isula and Darwen knew of her true nature. Even her parents , relatives and her sons still thought of her as simply a long lived tiefling. Although some people have seen her full deformities, very few were expert demon hunters like Martinez that could tell the difference between the two breeds .

"I suppose you are telling me this because you want to be compensated for your silence? Name your price. ", Stille said grimly knowing full well her precarious situation if her nature was discovered. She could probably still bribe her way to keep her rank, but she would have a stigma attached to her from then on. She could see in her mind's eye people leaving the barony and all the past problems blamed on her demonic heritage. She was aware of other disguised monstrous rulers in Grom, but she enjoyed her position as a public although reclusive ruler. She did not want to live in the shadows like they did .

Martinez considered her statement and put a finger to his chin and gave an exxaggereated , almost comical look of deep thought. "One milllleeeon gold pieces , I think . That should buy my silence. "

Stille looked at him in growing annoyance, she did not like others playing games with her fate.

"Look Princess, I know you look down on people like me, and to be honest I would too. I'm a demon hunter, that's like a second rate adventurer. To be a demon hunter, you need a highly specialized and sought after skill set. Unlike other professions, let's say tree scholar or lock smith, these skills and abilities cross into other professions as well. Other better paid, less dangerous professions I might add. I'm not a thrill seeker or anything, I hunt demons because someone has to. With the war with the gnomes, more and more of these lower plane bastards are popping up and killing innocent people . Despite our less then stellar reputation , I consider myself one of the good guys. I consider you, my dear baroness, as one of the good guys as well. I've watched you the last few days. You actually care for your subjects, you govern your barony better then any of your neighbors, and you actually follow and adhere to a higher code of conduct then most paladins I know. I'm not sure if that wound I suffered would have killed me, but you did cure it. I owe you that much at least. The last thing I want is to destroy the life of one of the good guys, all because of the way she was born. ", explained Martinez with a soft smile.

The baroness looked at the uncouth duelist and found herself returning the smile. "Thank you. ", she said in a heartfelt voice.

"Hey , seeing you half naked is well worth the price of silence. Never really understood why some guys are big on demon chicks, but you definitely made a believer out of me. ", grinned the duelist wolfishly, in a way reminiscent of her Uncle Frank.

"But seriously, don't thank me yet. We aren't exactly out of the fire. While we were playing doctor, the summoner guy has called forth an army of demons and other critters and sieged the keep. Most of the towns folk have taken shelter here, but it looks grim. Sir Jose thinks the knights of the Husky and the Clerics of Koryis will get here in a few days, but we might all be dead by then. I'm glad this keep isn't as it appears, cuz we would be overrun by now if it weren't for its traps and tricks. ", cautioned the duelist .

Stille considered the man's take on the situation and pondered her course of action. The baroness then invoked a prayer of healing on herself and cured the wounds that Martinez wasn't able to. She then waved her hand and her spare armor and arms floated towards her . The bloodied bandages fell away as she donned her gear , in preparation for battle.

Martinez had turned away while the baroness dressed, and handed her the grey wig after she was fully equipped.

Stille looked at the wig and considered the dream she had. It was most likely a hallucination brought on by trauma, but Frank's words rung true. She was never an adventurer, but she had been on many adventurers in the past. Now she was simply an innkeeper with odd mutations. She had become a cliche, a retired adventurer that had opened an inn. She brushed the wig away and then shook her head. "I won't be needing that anymore. Come. Let's put an end to this. ", she said with an invigorated determination.

* * *

The big knight stepped out from behind one of the topiaries . "Mnemonic echo? Stille must be rusty if she actually believed that. ", commented the former Baron of Veb.

Galatea shook her head, "Believe it or not, such things exist. Besides , I doubt she would have accepted the explanation that your love for your wife summoned us to the astral plane to talk to her. "

Halvor breathed deeply, "I keep tabs on her all the time you know. It breaks my heart to see her as a shell of her former self. When the succubus almost killed her, whatever restraint I had vanished, I couldn't just watch anymore. I used every favor I still had with those that could do something about it to get her to change her path. ", the big knight explained.

"Hey Hal. Why didn't you just confront her yourself? Like I wasn't kidding about her beauty , if I were you I would have swept her off her feet and dragged her behind one of those bushes, and started with the sexy time when you had the chance. ",asked Frank who began playing with Galatea's hair. The elf for her part just smiled and ignored his attentions.

Halvor shook his head, but smiled as Frank flirted with the elf. "My goal was to make her forget about me , or at least to sever the chain that holds her back. She is full of so much life and potential , and the last thing I want is to remind her of me , and watch her mourn all over again. Believe me it wasn't easy , hiding from her, but ..it was the right decision. ", he said with a sigh.

"Are you sure about this? That dodgy looking duelist has his eyes set on her. If you want I can return to the prime, fly down on my dragon and smack him around if you want. Err wait. I'm not sure if I'm actually alive or not. I might be taking a break from Rawk's hall . I think its all you can eat rib night or something. ", commented Frank as he scratched his head in confusion.

Halvor ignored the last comment and gazed into the aether. "She is free once again to make her own decisions. I just wish her to find peace in her soul. Also, I heard that comment about you splitting her like a log, no way I'll let you near my wife. ", the baron grinned.

Frank snorted at his old comrade. "Well that's too bad. Now, what am I going to do now till I awake back in either Rawk's hall or Grom. ", the knight asked as he stared deeply into the elves perfect sapphire eyes.

"I'm sure if we think hard enough , we can come up with something. ", said the elf with an impish smile.

Halvor turned away and walked back to Library of Koryis. Frank gave him a thumbs up as the crab knight swept the elf off her feet. Halvor sighed as he thought again of Stille. Did he do the right thing? Will Stille being happy make him happy? He concentrated his vision into the aether once again to view his wife. A pang of regret tugged at his heart,as he realized how much he missed her. To his relief he saw she had recovered from her near fatal attack , and he saw Stille donning her armor and strapping her weapon to her belt. He noted the graceful way she moved, and the determination in her step. It was like the old days, the eternally optimistic youth facing off against the terrors of the world.

Halvor considered her path and smiled as a great weight lifted from his heart.


	10. Chapter 10

Stille was still weak from her ordeal and was surprised when she found herself following Martinez in her own castle. She wasn't sure exactly how long she had been unconscious and was too weak to lead her guest. The castle was a confusing structure, built originally by the original barons of Veb, and strengthened by her father's magic when he visited during one summer. Due to his enchantments it was much bigger on the inside then it appeared from the outside. It was confusing to say the least, and she was impressed at how the duelist navigated through her keep like it was second nature. She was a bit annoyed though at the glances he was giving her, she felt liberated in not wearing that grey wig anymore, but she was still a bit self conscious about the glares her blue hair was attracting.

"Raoul and Jose are helping Sergent Taylor defend the walls. The fortifications of this place are quite formidable, but so are our opponents. That Loric guy is summoning waves after waves of bad guys after us it seems. ", summarized Martinez as he stopped and awaited the injured Stille.

Stille's ears burned at the mention of Loric. She had her chance to end it , but let it slip away when she was beguiled by the thought of a fellow scholar in her barony. "Wait..who is Jose? ", the baroness asked when she realized she did not recognize that name.

"A knight, don't worry he's a friend. Besides Raoul and myself, he's one of our best assets we have right now. Besides myself of course. ", smiled Martinez as he continued deeper into the keep. "Oh Raoul too, but I have to threaten to kick him to get him into gear. ", scoffed the duelist.

"Anna is tending the wounded rather efficiently. She couldn't cure your cursed wound or Sir Rollo's but she's keeping the casualties to a minimum. She was even able to cure the stupid out of Jimmy, used a restoration prayer or something, which is a great relief. I didn't think she was a cleric , but I should have realized that when you told us she studied under you. She's one of the main reasons we've held out this long. ", continued the duelist as he further explained the situation.

"Yes, she is a capable woman. Wait...Sir Rollo is here? And what's this about curing the stupid out of Jimmy?", asked Stille in confusion.

"Rollo was brought here injured, he fought and loss to the succubus like you did. Although Anna wasn't able to cure him, I use the method you instructed me to heal most of his injuries, but his age and the length he bore those wounds have rendered him too weak to effectively assist us. Errr...nevermind about Jimmy, he's fine now. Our most pressing matter is that the enemy seems to be amassing a large force, but are only sending small groups to keep us on our toes. ", commented the duelist.

"Probe attacks to test our defenses, or more likely to divert our attention from the real attack. Make sure we have our forces at the ready, especially from an oblique approach. Perhaps the cliffs or from the sky. He's a summoner of some sorts , so his ability to maintain his forces decreases with the amount he brings forth. He is on either a time limit if he uses conventional summons, or he is restrained by the resources he can barter if he uses callings. In either case, the attack will be soon. ", explained Stille as she paused to catch her breath.

"Err...yeah ..right. Isn't there a third type of summons? ", asked Martinez as he extended a hand and helped the weakened baroness.

"Yes ..the most powerful type are Gate spells, but only a few individuals can master such an enchantment. ", the baroness said with a slight smile as she held the duelist's arm for support.

"I don't suppose you know any ? We could use the help. You claim to know a lot of people. ", jested the duelist as he began climbing a set of stairs with the wounded woman in tow.

"I know a few...but I lack the resources to contact them. ", sniped the baroness in return with an annoyed edge to her voice.

" We are hoping to fight a defensive battle till the rest of the Order of the Husky, and the clerics of Koryis arrive. A few days more I reckon.", added the duelist.

Stille shook her head. " Loric will make his move before that. ", noted the baroness as she reached the top of the steps. She paused again to catch her breath. Although she had been revived, the task of ascending the stairs had shown her she was far from ready for battle.

Martinez nodded grimly as he waited again for Stille to recover. "Oh, one more thing. Its kind of gloom and doom right now with the troops and militia, but we have a running joke going around aimed at Sir Jose . Its kind of silly but it does keep up morale. I don't want you to blow it right yet. ", smirked Martinez.

Stille recalled her youth, and her own mischievous ways. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow."Oh , a jest ? ",she commented eagerly.

* * *

Raoul stood alone and defiantly on the parapet. The three militia men that were stationed with him had fallen from the winged attackers and only the half giant was left to defend it. Raoul swung his staff at the succubus that lead the invaders . The creature flipped easily from his strike and she managed to kick him heavily in the shoulder for his efforts. The giant ignored the blow, but knew that he must finish this battle soon. The summoned gargoyles that this creature led would over run his section of the rampart soon if he didn't put an end to it quickly.

The half giant lunged at the winged demoness again and attempted to grab some part of it with his massive hand. He reasoned if he could take away its incredible speed it would be much easier to handle. The demoness saw its clumsy grab for its tail and playfully slapped Raoul across the face with it , for his efforts.

The half giant clutched his eye and fell back , and was quickly set upon by a pair of gargoyles that he had previously worried about. They only came up to his waist, but the creatures eagerly swarmed Raoul. They were winged humanoids covered in rock like skin and terrible horns, and they raked and clawed their blinded prey relentlessly.

Raoul summoned the last of his strength and channeled his energy into a terrible stomp. The gargoyles and succubus simply took flight from the ground shattering attack, but it served the half giant's purpose by dispersing his enemy.

As Raoul took the precious time he had gained to recover , a fierce rallying cry sounded behind him.

Sir Jose, Sergeant Taylor and several other of the militia had finally reinforced the position. Even Jimmy was with them, he looked ridiculous in the over sized chain shirt he was given, but he was armed with a sling and a club. One of the gargoyles was quickly struck down by a hail of arrows and bolts , while the other was struck in the head by an expertly placed sling rock. As the stunned creature floundered , it was skewered by the Husky Knight wielding a simple militiaman's spear. The succubus easily dodged the volley and phalanx of polearms as it dove directly into the fresh troops and slashed the throat of a surprised guardsmen. It hissed in glee as the man stumbled and then fell to the ground.

"Face me bitch! ", challenged Jose at the demoness. He swept his spear into position and thrusted the weapon at her, but it easily avoided his blow and flew off into the night.

Raoul rubbed his eyes and blinked to appraise his injury. He sighed in relief as the demon only slashed above his eye, and he was only blinded by the blood. "Damn that critter is fast. ", he commented as he watched the demon fly into the darkness.

Jose nodded in agreement as he checked on the dead guardsman. "I could have taken it if I had my holy blade still, but yeah, its unnaturally quick. Beats me how Martinez got the best of it, twice even. " , wondered the paladin.

Raoul shrugged then turned to Jimmy, "I thought I told you to stay in the keep. Its dangerous out here. ", scolded the half giant.

"I ..I just want to help. ", stammered the young boy as he looked down .

Raoul took a deep breath , and some of his anger subsided, he simply messed the young boy's hair in a sign of acceptance. Despite disobeying his orders the half giant couldn't stay mad at the brave and eager boy. "Good work Jimmez. ", the giant noted.

Sir Jose surveyed the battle field, and checked the wounded. The knight healed those he could and closed the eyes of those that had fallen.

" Two dead. The enemy is getting smarter, it knows it can't attack us directly so they are summoning flyers to negate our fortifications. This keep is strong, but at this rate we won't have any more defenders left . ", noted Sergeant Taylor grimly.

"I'm sure Father Emilo and the Knights of the Husky and the clerics of Koryis will relieve us soon. Even if they don't , the Grommish army must know of our plight . Right?", asked Jose .

Sergeant Taylor shook his head, "They've been scaling back patrols. Twice a month is the best they can do around these parts. As you know the forest disrupts all manner of communication, from messenger spells, to gazing mirrors, even crystal balls and palantirs. The baroness's success at keeping the peace in this fiefdom will be our undoing it seems. ",sighed the grizzled veteran.

"Speaking of the baroness, when will she return? You'd think if her fief is besieged she would at least make an appearance. I would have guessed she would have ran out of food by now and returned to the keep. You know those half elves love stuffing their face. ", scowled Jose.

"Maybe she's rallying troops from the neighboring towns. It would be hard for her to return with this place surrounded by enemies. With her ..umm profile...she would be hard to miss. ", shrugged Raoul with a snicker.

Jose shrugged, "Did someone check the escape tunnels. I know these old keeps have at least one or two. The poor thing might have tried to return and got stuck in one. You know how these half elves are. ", commented the paladin in concern.

"Verily. ", snickered Sergeant Taylor. "I'll send a patrol to check.", he added with amusement.

"The baroness isn't a hal...", started Jimmy by was interrupted by a thunderous stomp.

"I've returned my subjects ! Who are the brave strangers that have defended my keep so vigilantly in my absence! ", proclaimed a massive rotund woman with pointed ears dressed in the manner of the aristocracy. At her side was a young blue haired woman , who did not look amused at her companion.

Sir Jose had a brief look of shock and horror, but quickly recovered. He bowed deeply to the large woman . "I am Sir Jose of the Order of the Husky. This is my friend Raoul, a demon hunter under contract from the clerics of Koryis. We come to your barony's defense and aid. M'lady ", the knight said in a gracious manner.

Jimmy was confused and took a double look. First at the blue haired woman , secondly at the fat stranger next to her , but mostly at the formal sounding knight , whom a few days ago was wildly gesticulating and shouting in his north Darokin dialect. Raoul and Sergeant Taylor appeared confused at first, but then smiled knowingly .

"I am the Lady Stille. I am pleased to meet you. Sir Jose ...I heard so much of your valor. ", said the large half elf with a seductive wink.

Jose gulped. Even his paladin courage faltered when faced with this amorous aristocrat ." As a knight of the husky , I am sworn to battle evil where ever I find it. ", replied the paladin as he took a step back, wishing that the succubus would return.

"I must reward you with a kiss then. ", said the large woman as she stretched her thick arms for an embrace.

Sir Jose cringed and faltered, as if facing a legion of dragons. The knight turned away as the large half elf advanced towards him.

"Ok, Ok! That's enough. You are making fun of me as much as poor Jose here. ", huffed the blue hair woman at the half elf's side. She snapped her fingers and the "baroness" reverted into the form of a smiling Martinez. ". Although I don't employ magics to disguise my appearance, I do have them at the ready. Honestly, I don't see why this is so funny . If anything, I'm repulsed that anyone thinks that I look like that. That's an insult to both half elves and myself. "

"Awwhh...It was just getting good. Look at him squirm !", protested the duelist with a grin as he reverted from fat half elf woman , to a svelte human male.

"Wha...what? Martinez is the baroness? This explains everything! I think ...", commented an even further confused Jose.

Everyone on the parapet then began to laugh. Even Stille managed a chuckle. The dark air of the siege lifted a bit, as spirits were raised at the paladin's expense.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't have kissed you. ", smiled Martinez at the paladin. "You're not my type. ", he said slyly as he gazed at the laughing baroness.

* * *

"Our situation is dire. M'lady. Even after arming the townsfolk we have barely 70 defenders at our disposal. Some of the local druids have come seeking shelter though, and they have assisted lady Anna in aiding the wounded. We have enough supplies to last a month, but I fear the enemy will overwhelm us long before that. ", reported Sergeant Taylor .

Their war room was elaborate. Banners and trophies of past victories loomed around them, as the small group planned their defense. Besides the baroness, and Sergeant Taylor, the duelist , the half giant and the knight were present. Anna was asked to attend, but she declined stating she was needed more at the infirmary.

"They are slowly whittling our numbers, while they keep summoning more troops. ", commented Sir Jose.

"The summoner or magician or whatever he is , has brought forth a core of about 60 to 80 minor demons and monsters, I'm guessing he's using magical items or calling magic to keep them around. He keeps those in reserves, and keeps pressure on us by summoning disposable monsters to harass us. So far we've been able to repel them, but its a war of attrition we can't win, at least not directly.", added Martinez.

"Don't forget that damn succubus. Despite the mauling she had taken, she's fully healed again, she must have been feeding...on stragglers. ", added the half giant uncomfortably. " I reckon she's responsible for at least half our casualties. I hate to say it, but its too fast and quick for me to handle. ", apologized Raoul. "Too fast for you as well Jose. ", commented the half giant as he rubbed the healed wound over his eye. The half giant half expected the cursed wound to grow infected and fill with pus, but the baroness swiftly healed the scratch before it degenerated to that point. He glared at the Jose as he noticed the knight snickering at his comment.

"Hey, you two guys are just too slow. It knows I'm the head bad ass here, that's why it never attacks when I'm on patrol. ", added Martinez proudly. The half giant and Jose did not protest, but did shift uncomfortably. "Don't feel bad you big oaf, that's why I'm the boss. ", boasted the duelist proudly to the half giant.

"As an aside, I know things are grim, but I wish to thank you all for assisting us. I have watched you fight, and I see that you have the trust of the baroness . I think it is only fitting that I give you all badges , not only for appreciation for your services, but to show the rest of the guard and militia that you are have the baroness's favor.", commented the sergeant.

Raoul and Martinez paused and looked at Jose.

Jose simply bowed and accepted the gift. "I thank you , and accept this honor. ", bowed the knight.

"I was expecting him to say something stupid. Something that makes fun of our North Darokin heritage. ", whispered Martinez to his large companion. Raoul simply nodded as he expected the same thing as well.

Jose looked in surprise at his comrades. Although they had whispered the comment, the paladin clearly heard it. " I am a paladin. We trust in the principles of law, order, and upstanding moral behavior. If this badge helps people identify my position within the keep and helps maintain a proper organization, then I will gladly accept it. ", the knight said proudly.

"Do I get a badge too?", piped Jimmy as he suddenly popped up from under the table. Raoul grabbed the uninvited boy and lifted him up. The boy shrugged sheepishly in embarrassment, but the half giant smiled and plopped him into an empty chair, he had fought bravely over the last few days and had earned a seat at this table.

Despite the half giant's acceptance of the boy, Taylor was about to throw Jimmy out. Stille sighed and signaled that the boy could stay much to the sergeant's chagrin.

As they continued to discuss their situation, a guardsmen burst into the trophy room. "Pardon for the intrusion, but our guards report tremors in the ground. We suspect our foe is attempting to use sappers of some sort to gain access to the keep. "

Raoul nodded, "That makes sense . He has increased the number of flyers to divert our men away from the lower levels."

"There are some druids that have taken refuge in the keep. They are assisting Anna right now, but surely we can convince them to summon burrowing creatures to combat these tunnelers. Earth elementals, or maybe even dire badgers."

Jose seemed shocked at the suggestion. "Badgers! BADGERS! We don't need no steenking badgers! ", replied the knight angrily. " I will meet them head on myself.", Jose added in his familiar but occasionally used North Darokin accent.

Martinez chuckled at Raoul. "There...it is. I knew he couldn't resist. ", smirked the duelist to his companion.

As the demon hunters joked, Stille cleared her voice . "Our foe is dangerous and resourceful, but his power is not absolute. Before I was laid low, I discovered that he maintains control over most of his servants by the use of a feeblemind spell. It doesn't grant him complete power, but dulls the wits of his victims. Thus making it easier to manipulate with more conventional spells. I am 100% positive that the succubus that has plagued us is under such an enchantment. From my brief conversation with him, he told me has looted several ruins in his research. I would hazard a guess that he encountered this creature as either a guardian of one of the ruins, or had discovered its true name and used it to summon her. Regardless of how they met, he has bounded it to his will with his crude spells. Thus explaining its feral nature. ", explained the baroness.

"What's a true name? ",asked Jimmy. Most of the others at the table besides Martinez and Stille didn't know either, but they did not voice their ignorance.

"All outsiders of a certain power, have a mystical name..or true name. The person who knows it can summon, bind and most importantly compel that creature with greater ease. ", explained the baroness.

"Wait...are you telling me that thing is not responsible for its actions. Cuz its killed a lot of people, and there's no way I'm going to spare it if I have a clear shot.", inquired Martinez skeptically.

Stille shook her head, "Feeblemind takes away not only the ability of speech and spell casting, it also renders cohesive thought impossible. Despite this, the victim still reacts the way it normally would, with the above limitations of course. Having experienced its effects first hand, I can honestly say that the succubus is a natural killer, that delights in the death of others. ", the baroness said grimly. " I believe that if it wasn't feebleminded its rampages would be more controlled and subtle. However it would still desire to kill but would be smarter about it. Don't let this observation deter you though, if you do get an opportunity to slay it, I would not hesitate in your position. ", Stille added.

Martinez took her advice and considered her words carefully.

"I would also like to note, that despite my skill at magic, Loric easily overpowered me. . He broke through my magical defenses and put me into a stupor. Feeblemind is a spell that is anathema to spell casters, but is exceptionaly deadly to arcane casters. Although I am a priestess of Koryis, I have studied arcane magic in the great academy. I am not sure if he specializes specifically in enchantments, or with that particular spell but its effects on myself are near fatal. ", stated the baroness. She then parted her shoulder length blue hair and revealed a small twisted horn. "As you can see from my nature, I am an outsider. I would not rule out if he has some special skill to defeat creatures of my broad racial group. I could prepare some wards to offset his advantage over me, but the odds favor him in a straight up magical duel none the less. ", summarized Stille in a bitter voice.

"Why does this Loric hate us so? What did we do to deserve his wrath ?", asked Sergeant Taylor. " So much bloodshed and death ...for what? ", he lamented.

"I know what he's after. ", answered Stille wearily. "An heirloom of my family. An object my father recovered from the Great Scar years ago. He was tasked with returning it, but could not find where to bring it to. I conversed with Loric before he attacked me and found out he thinks this object can open a path into the legendary Blue Mage's sanctum."

"We ...we can't let him have it then. If he gains more power, I fear what he will do elsewhere. ", demanded Sir Jose.

Stille sighed, " I've thought about this and I have no easy answers. I doubt we can simply lure him into the open, he's too smart for that. We can't wait in the keep forever, his ability to conjure fresh troops will wear us down. Our best course of action is if we attack him directly. I'll lead a small group to take the battle to him and end this once and for all. ", declared the baroness grimly. Although she didn't say it, they knew it would be a suicide mission , and there would be little chance of survival even if they succeeded in killing Loric.

The entire room paused and focused the attention on the seemingly young blue haired woman. Though she looked different from her normal commanding self, there was no doubt in the conviction in her voice, and the sacrifice she was willing to make.

"Do we even know where he is? If we search for him in force, he will see us and retreat. Leaving us vulnerable to an attack in the open. ", commented Raoul skeptically.

Martinez shook his head. " You know, I think you guys are over thinking this. ...we could just give him what he wants. ", he said with a smile.


	11. Chapter 11

Loric appraised the battlefield . His forces had been repelled once again. He considered himself a learned and a scholarly man, but he knew he was far from being a military tactician. Despite his self acknowledged limitation he knew what must be done. His numerous enemies were closing in on him, and he had to secure the keep and its contents quickly. Afterwards he could explore the Blue Mage's ruins at his lesuire while he let his minions run amok in what remains of the barony. He doubt the knights of the Husky or the Clerics of Koryis could find , let alone secure entrance to the hidden sanctum after the trouble it had given him. It wasn't the way he wanted it to end, but such was the price of knowledge. At heart, he believed was what he claimed to be, a simple scholar , an explorer, a humble sage . It was true that he had to resort to...unsavory... methods on occasion to pursue the lore he sought, but truth be told he was more comfortable with reading an old book at the side of a fireplace at an inn, then leading a horde of bloodthirsty demons.

The sage sighed as he recalled the battle he watched through the odd shaped seer stone . It was a simple device, similar to a crystal ball, but created in a much more primal and ancient age. It was not as clear or accurate as its modern counter part, but it did its job even in this accursed forest, and the sage felt a bit of nostalgia and accomplishment from using it. After all , it was an item he himself had recovered from one of his many expeditions . Through it he saw the gargoyles he had summoned decimated . Loric did not expect them to take the castle by themselves, but he hoped they would have fared better in battle. They needed to be a threat if they were to serve their true purpose of being a distraction. Despite their failure he was particularly proud of his creations, they were augmented beasts, stronger and more powerful then a normal mage's summons. Even with their enhanced power, they were unfortunately taken apart by the keeps defenders, if it wasn't for the succubus he had leading them, they wouldn't have inflicted any casualties at all.

The demoness he had encountered then enslaved awhile ago had proven to be a double edge sword. It was his most powerful servant, but due to the methods he had employed to control it, it was also the most unpredictable. Although typical members of its species were more use to being utilized as seductresses and spies, this particular creature was for some reason more of a warrior or skirmisher. Loric would have been interested in how it acquired its particular skill set, but he had scant opportunity when he first discovered it. He was fortunate that his magic enabled him to surprise the beast and enthrall it before it ripped him apart, he had doubts he could have bested it in a fair fight.

Loric gazed into the seer stone once again, and scanned the northern roads leading out of the barony. The fallen Sir Rollo's band was still a few days away . He still wasn't sure how they located him, but there they were plain as day , pursuing him relentlessly. He scanned to the south and saw no Grommish patrols present. He would have two maybe three days at best to complete his conquest. The sage calculated he would not need that much time. He had called several creatures from the plane of earth, to tunnel and spearhead the attack the keep from below. Loric loathed using such monsters, mainly due to their literal interpretations of orders, but they were easy to bargain and negotiate with. A few bags of gems were all that were needed to buy their loyalty. The sage wished all his infernal contracts were so easy. Most wanted a portion of his soul, human sacrifices, or some other nonsense in addition to monetary compensation.

The sage then scanned for the results of the anticipated underground battle, but sadly his prized crystal was getting weaker in power. He sighed then yawned in acceptance. Like the seer stone he was getting fatigued as well. Regardless if his underground attack succeeded or not, he would rest now then either renew his assault or pick through the fallen keep in the morning.

Loric turned towards his humble bed roll as he prepared to rest. His wards were in place and guards at the ready. If anything , he was overly cautious when it came to his meditations. Loric's life was a solitary one, and knew there was no one he could rely on save, his servants and himself. He regretted ending the life of that interesting tiefling innkeeper so quickly. Even though Grom was relatively progressive compared to the other nations when dealing with those infernal half breeds, they were still considered outcasts outside of their own enclaves. Surely a woman that took such pains in hiding here true nature, would have sympathy for a fellow outcast like himself. Although she did seem to value her human neighbors, with the proper enchantments and ..motivation..he was sure he could have made her change her point of view.

"Yoo hoo! Oh Loric !", came a familiar feminine voice in the distance.

The sage paused, and scanned his immediate area. His immediate concern was that his hunters had found him. As his supernatural senses of the area became clearer he was relieved to find his location wasn't compromised. The fact someone was looking for him was unsettling , but he smiled as he had a spell just for this occasion. It was a enchantment he discovered in one of the first ruins he raided, an ancient spell, used during the ancient First and Second Age. The sage invoked his power and summoned a floating eye, a wizard's eye. Loric concentrated and his vision flowed from into the small mystic construct. It darted at his command and it flitted through the forest to where he detected the voice. The sage felt the forest hindering his control over the spell, but not to the point it was rendered useless. Soon the small construct darted into a clearing and he was surprised at what he saw.

It was the innkeeper Stille. He though his succubus had destroyed her, but somehow she had survived. How did she escape? How did she over come his feeblemind enchantment ? Did she have some form of contingency spell set up for such an occasion, a powerful potion she used on instinct, or maybe she had allies in town ? Loric first thought of retreat, he reasoned that anyone that could evade his servant after being cursed was surely a dangerous foe. As he was about to recall his eye and flee, the sage paused at what he saw.

As he gazed upon the woman , he noticed several things that escaped his attention when his eye first encountered her in the clearing. She was much more youthful in appearance, her hair was blue , and most importantly she was carrying a small statue . Loric broke out in a sweat, it appeared she had the item he was looking for.

"Yoo hoo! Oh Loric ! ", she repeated again. " I know you are out here somewhere handsome ! Come on out before I get tired and accidentally drop this thing. You know how big of a pain it was to retrieve this thing and slip out of the keep. Don't make me come out here for nuthin ! ", teased the innkeeper.

Loric recalled his eye with haste. He placed proper protections on himself and summoned his trusted succubus to his side. The demoness appeared from the shadows and hissed in anticipation of a battle. This seemed too convenient and he suspected a trap, but he was not about to let this opportunity to slip from his grasp.

"I'm gonna start juggling if you don't show up soon. I suck at juggling I might add ! ", Stille taunted once more.

Loric casted some divinations at the innkeeper from the edge of the clearing. Besides some low powered magic items, she had some minor alteration magic on herself. That was to be expected , since she had to disguise her true nature from the townsfolk. He sensed no other presences nearby, but sent the succubus to scout the immediate area just to be sure. She returned quickly and hissed a negative response .

Confident they was alone , and it was not a trap, the summoner stepped into the clearing. "I won't even bother asking how you escaped. I guess its my own fault for impairing the thoughts of my minions. She is a loyal creature, but very useless when conveying specific information that I might find relevant. So tell me , why would you bring this object to me ? Do you expect to barter for it? If so, why wouldn't I just take it from you by force?", declared the summoner as he made his presence known.

"Well for one thing. I know the keep would fall soon. Despite my magical powers and stuff, we are no match for your endless minions. If I snuck out, I risk your minions catching up to me as I fled and slaying me anyways. I figure this is what you want, so why not give it to you. Who knows, I might even be rewarded in the process. I have a secret. I'm not human. I'm one of those accursed tieflings. We'll do whatever it takes to survive and save our hides. Everyone knows we'll do anything to get ahead. I mean anything. ", she said while licking her lips slowly as she sauntered towards him.

Loric regarded Stille suspiciously. She was definitely not the same person he had met before. Maybe her near death experience had awaken her true nature with in her, or more likely her old persona was just an act. While in the presence of a fellow outcast, she now let her true feelings and nature surface.

"I'm sure we can come to an arrangement , one that will be profitable and enjoyable to both of us. First off , turn over the statue now , and I'll decide upon an appropriate reward. ", stated Loric with a smirk. He still didn't trust her, but her invitation was intriguing. The statue of course was his ultimate goal, but having her as an ally would be an added bonus. Despite his demon companion's lustful appearance, to slake his urges on the succubus was suicide. Charmed or kidnapped women were enjoyable for awhile, but quickly lost their novelty. A willing partner, even a treacherous one, was of course a different matter.

The sage waved to the demoness to retrieve the statue . It barely understood his commands, but eventually scrambled on all fours to the innkeeper. As she approached, Stille did a quick sidestep and evaded the demon deftly.

"Nu'uh. I'm not handing this over just yet. I need to have your word about my safety. A hand shake...maybe a kiss.. ", she teased as she raised the statue precariously in the air.

Loric tensed, he did not know how sturdy or fragile the statue was, and was not about to find out . He waved the demoness back , and the succubus returned reluctantly at his side. "As you wish . ", he said with a slight bow and entered the clearing with his hand outstretched.

* * *

Raoul expected to hear scraping on rock, but instead was greeted with a low rumble. The half giant had done his share of dungeoneering, but admitted he was not an expert in underground combat. He wasn't like a gnome , dwarf, or even a halfling . If anything his size proved a detriment in tunnel fighting. It was true that he could plug up a passage just by standing in it, but it restricted his mobility and combat maneuvers available to him . He would have normally had his force staff ready, but due to the confined nature of the environment he resorted into using his trusty broadsword.

The half giant gazed at his surroundings. They were in a low storage room of some sort, with most of the supplies moved hastily. The noises were loudest here and Stille told them they were most likely to breach in or near this location. They had stationed several other groups of guards in the surrounding rooms, in case the enemy sappers deviated from their course, but they kept most of their strength in this one. The baroness possessed a very keen knowledge of siege warfare, and Raoul noted that she seemed to have an in depth understanding of many other things as well . Understanding and knowledge that didn't come from simple studying of a book, he corrected himself. Although the most likely explanation was that she was long lived and had a life time of experiences to draw upon, Raoul noted that he was older then her, and had also traveled the world, but he still didn't have the fraction of the knowledge she had. The half giant assumed she must have had special training or dedicated tutors of some sort.

"Courage friends. Battle is almost upon us. Our heroism will be a beacon that blinds our craven foes. ", stated Jose. The paladin seemed to have used an old quote rather then drawing upon the situation around them for inspiration. That was fine with Raoul, knowing Jose he probably would have said something embarrassing and stupid again if given the chance.

"I'm not afraid. ", stated a small voice behind the paladin.

Raoul's eyes narrowed as he spotted Jimmy hiding behind Jose. His armor had been adjusted for his size, but it still looked too big on him. To Raoul , he looked more like a child at play then a warrior. "What's he doing here? He should be with the towns folk.", declared the half giant angrily.

Jimmy shrank back, but Jose dismissed the half giant's rage. "Hey you said to get a small team of the best men we could muster. I've only known him for a short while, but the kid has proven himself in my eyes. He's better then most of the militia in the keep. He nailed that gargoyle on the head on the parapet, saved your hide against those Vrock, and even warned us of the succubus. If we fall , the monsters have free reign in the keep, and most likely kill everyone. If he fights with us, at least he has a chance to go down swinging. ", defended the paladin with his more familiar North Darokin swagger.

Raoul grumbled, but could not fault the logic. It was bad enough that the normally idiotic Jose was correct, but the half giant did not wish to see harm come to the boy. Raoul simply ignored the issue, and turned his attention back to the steadily growing rumbling in the rocks.

"I'm sorry to have made you mad . I just want to help. ", said Jimmy as he approached the half giant. Raoul gazed down , and couldn't help but smile. Not because it was a stupid idea for a child to be fighting monsters, but because pinned to Jimmy's chest were two badges. One from Sergeant Taylor and the other from Jose, because he declared vehemently he didn't need one.

The half giant patted Jimmy's head, and was about to give words of encouragement when he was interrupted from behind.

"Sergeant Taylor is ready at the parapets in case they launch another aerial assault at the same time as their underground one. The doors to the main hall have been reinforced and warded, but I don't know how long they would hold against Loric's magic. Wait...what's young Jim doing here? ", declared the baroness in surprise.

Before anyone could answer , a large three fingered hand burst through the stone floor. A crackle of magic surrounded the breach briefly, as the wards and magic protecting the area were unravalled . A nearby guard attempted to stab the large appendage but two more hands similar to the first grabbed his foot and leg, and tossed him heavily against the wall.

"To arms! To arms ! They are in the storage chamber! ", shouted Stille as she drew her blade and engaged in battle.

* * *

"Come to mama, big boy. ", smiled Stille as Loric approached. As a sign of good faith the Sage waved his Succubus back. Not that it would make much of a difference, he had seen his servant cover fifty feet in almost a blink of an eye. With his magical protections up, Loric was sure he could defeat the innkeeper in a contest of spells, so he walked towards her confidently.

"I must admit , I did not expect this...initiative... from you. It must not be easy abandoning your friends and neighbors. ", commented the sage.

"Oh well, its a shame. But hey, I'm pretty good looking. I can make new ones! Its always easy for hot chicks to make new friends! ", declared the grinning innkeeper. As Loric approached she set the statue down and wiped her brow. "Damn thing is pretty heavy. But my ...errr...tiefling strength sure comes in handy. ", she declared.

Loric paused and could not recall if strength was a racial trait for the plane touched. He quickly dismissed the thoughts as he examined the statue. He would have normally retrieve it with his magic, but it looked too heavy to lift with the spells he had prepared , and the last thing he wanted was his magic to be insufficient causing it to crash. As he examined it , he was disappointed at his initial observations. "Are you sure this is the right statue? I thought you said it was the form of the halfling naval commander Adara, this looks more like a common garden gnome. A very old an ancient statue, but nothing remarkable. ", complained the summoner. He was not happy , but would still give her the benefit of the doubt. For all he knew it, this was the object he searched for, only a trial test at the ruins would confirm it.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure this isn't the statue , you're looking for. ", smirked Stille .

Anger replaced disappointment in the sage. How dare she toy and challenge him. He had defeated her easily before, and would defeat her utterly this time. He wasn't sure how she survived the previous encounter, but he would make certain she wouldn't a second time. He began to rise and threaten her , but the innkeeper drew a small case from her pocket. She swiftly opened it and revealed a small stone.

"Listen. We can do this the easy way. You surrender and dismiss your troops . Or ... We can do it the hard way. I beat the crap out of you , you surrender and then dismiss your troops.", said the innkeeper in a deeper more manly voice.

Loric's eyes lit up, as the lovely Stille transformed into a thin man in leather armor. He cursed himself for not seeing this earlier. He recalled the minor alteration magic he detected earlier, and saw how his greed for an easy victory blinded him to the danger. Regardless of the deception he still had the upper hand. Not only was he a master magician , he was still protected by a myriad of wards and protections, and his dreaded demoness was at his side. He motioned his head slightly and heard a howl as his succubus was unleashed on this worm that challenged him.

The duelist looked at the mage and smiled. "Oh good , looks like the hard way then.", he smiled.

* * *

Raoul had cleaved another of the squat three armed stone creatures. Although he preferred the versatility of his staff, the shorter broad sword was a better choice for the close quarter fighting in the dungeon.

"Watch out! Another wave is coming! ", warned Jimmy as he darted past a humanoid made out of earth and brick. The young boy's actions seemed rash, but Raoul saw that they were well planned and sowed confusion into their foe's ranks.

"More of these wierdos ? ", panted Sir Jose as he jabbed one of the earthen beasts with his spear. Although the paladin was deadly against demons, due to his ability to channel holy energy into his strikes, against more mundane foes he was no better then Sergeant Taylor. Despite his weakened status and the previous loss of his holy blade, the knight fought bravely , supporting the flank of the baroness.

"They are known as Xorn. A relative of the Arrowhawk, and the Tojanda. ", corrected Stille as she swatted one of the earthen humanoids chasing Jimmy. Raoul nodded in her direction. Even though she had already expended most of her spells in healing the wounded, and was still weakened from her near death ordeal, she had fought skillfully in this cramped environment.

The baroness had dispatched the last monster of the first wave, but as Jimmy warned , more were coming. She took the respite and gripped her holy symbol, and released a radiant burst of energy around her. Raoul was still surprised that anyone of such strong abyssal heritage could heal as well as she could. When he first met her, he half expected all her powers were linked to death and destruction like that of most of her kin. After fighting several skirmishes at her side, the half giant no longer had doubts about her allegiance to the light.

"Thank you, m'lady . Your healing powers will surely win us the day. ", commented Jose as he dispatched the last Xorn. The half giant noted that the paladin's sentiments mirrored his own unspoken thoughts.

"I certainly hope so. My ability to channel divine energy is almost at its limit. ", noted the baroness. "Aren't you repulsed or leery of being healed by a creature of demonic heritage such as myself ?", she added in a teasing manner.

Jose laughed, "Hah! Of course not. Although the Order of the Husky is famed for its endeavors in demon hunting, we are not so narrow minded to think that all of them are enemies. Although in general they are a destructive race and not to be trusted, our order was rescued and reformed from the brink of oblivion by a demon of all things. For a short time he was our leader and our champion . This has taught us that there is sometimes light , even in the heart of darkness. ", explained the paladin as if reciting from a text book.

"Oh? Your order was founded by a demon? ", asked Jimmy inquisitively while Stille giggled to herself as if she was privy to a private joke.

"The current incarnation is. A terrible frightening creature with blazing orange skin, said to be ten feet tall, wielding a wand of fire and a soul draining sword of flames. His most frightening power was his ability to immolate his skin so that it could roast a man from twenty steps away. ", shuddered Jose .

"Oh..I've heard of this terrible monster. Don't forget he rode a nightmare that ignored all wounds, had a silver tongue that could beguile all who listened to him, and slew the hag queen of Myleka. ", added Stille . Raoul noted that she was barely able to suppress her laughter at the conversation.

"Wow...this demon was your leader? ", commented Jimmy in awe.

Before Jose could reply, a fearsome gibbering sounded from the Xorn tunnels.

"The second wave is here. Be ready! ", declared Raoul as he brandished his heavy dented and notched broad sword.

A horde of short ugly humanoids poured from the ground. They had bloated stomachs, and long spindly arms and legs. Despite their weak appearance, they projected an aura of meance and danger as they scrambled forwards gnashing and swinging their deadly teeth and claws.

"Forge Halflings ! ", shouted Jose eagerly as he channeled divine energy into his spear. The weapon crackled with holy power as the paladin pierced one of the angry gibbering creatures. Even though the spear pierced it cleanly, the monster seemed undeterred by its mortal wound and attempted to claw its way up the spear. Jose was unfazed by this desperate attack though, he simply slammed his shield into the creature's face , and withdrew his spear while it was stunned and dying.

Raoul was about to correct his friend and tell him that these creatures were Dretches, when suddenly a fearsome black skeletal creature sprang from their ranks into the half giant. Raoul would have normally met the creature head on and easily weathered such a basic attack, but the swarms of minor demons around him made doing so hazardous. He knew that if he was locked in a grapple or something the smaller demons would overwhelm him in a second. Instead of engaging the black skeletal demon directly, the half giant summoned his inner power and shifted his body instantaneously five feet behind him. The demon crashed into the ground due to its over committed attack, and seemed dazed by the impact.

Although the paladin and half giant seemed to be having an easy time with the new invaders, the rest of the defenders were forced back by the relentless horde. Several of Sergent Taylor's men were quickly engulfed by the swarm and devoured by the small demons. Their terrible screams echoed through the lower levels of the keep .

"Fall back! ", declared Raoul as he sensed the tide of battle shifting. Although the Dretches appeared weak, their sheer numbers and their natural toughness made them a formidable opponent. The half giant had fought them before , and knew that the small monsters were equal to any gnoll or bugbear in ferocity and toughness. The initial breach was quickly becoming indefensible , and their best bet was to retreat to the secondary barriers that Taylor had set up. Technically they were more piles of debris then barriers, but hopefully the strength of the enemies attack would break upon it.

As the half giant covered the rest of the defender's retreat, a pair of small demons scrambled past his sweeping broadsword . Raoul booted one with a strong swift kick, sending it crashing into his fellows . Although the half giants attack looked impressive , the resilient creatures quickly got up and resumed their attack. The other dretch hopped away from Raoul's leg and managed to grab it with its deceptively strong spindly arms. Before the half giant could pry it off, it bit deeply into his leg , while releasing a putrid cloud of stench.

Raoul instinctively attempted to cover his nose from the gagging odor, and stumbled backwards in confusion and pain. The dretches seized the advantage and the half giant soon found himself covered by the biting and clawing monsters. He swatted a few with his massive arms, but it only delayed the inevitable.

"HOLY SMITE! ", shouted the baroness, as the passage way and part of the storage room was engulfed in divine energy. The dretches on Raoul seemed to melt from the holy assault, and the half giant found himself free once again. Raoul noted that even though a half dozen of the creatures were annihilated , the main bulk of the horde was still intact. They seemed to hesitate after the last strike, but soon rushed the tunnel in earnest once their courage returned.

The half giant did not hesitate with the second chance he was given. He ignored his wounds and loped down the tunnel. The skeletal demon almost caught him again, but a lucky vicious back swing by his broadsword decapitated the over eager demon. The smaller creatures paused their attack briefly, but some unholy force drove them forward in a frenzy once again. As he almost reached the barrier, he noticed a badly burned woman before him. "Lady Stille?", he asked in surprise as he gripped her hand and pulled her up.

The baroness coughed weakly, "I'm probably the only cleric of Koryis in the entire world that can knock herself out with her own holy smite. ", she smiled weakly.

Raoul understood and nodded at her sacrifice. The baroness's infernal blood made her vulnerable to her own divine magic. He guessed she avoided that drawback in most circumstances, but chose to ignore it to save the half giant. "Thank you. ", he said in acknowledgement as they made it to the secondary barrier before the Dretchs.

Jose and Jimmy met the pursuing horde with spear , and dagger. The narrow passage and the debris made it so only a few of the monsters came at them at a time. Despite their tactical advantage, the demons had a strong advantage in numbers. The dretches would suffer heavy casualties, but they would eventually win the war of attrition. The shrinking group of defenders knew that they would be unlikely to hold out .

"Damn! I thought Martinez would waste that wizard by now. ", declared Jose as he speared a charging Dretch. "You don't think he ran do you? ", questioned the paladin. Jose was close friends with Martinez, and knew he would never run . Raoul knew he posed that question more as a jest to raise morale then a dire warning.

"No...he wouldn't run. He's either dead or encountering some resistance. ", added the half giant as he reinforced the barricade.

* * *

Martinez drew his crossbow and aimed it at the charging succubus.

The demoness's eyes narrowed, as it remembered painfully the twin arbalest from the previous encounter it had against him. It jumped at the duelist, leaping high in the air to evade the bolts , but was met with a heavy swat. Instead of firing the crossbow, Martinez used it as a bat to strike the demon as he charged the sage. The blow did not hurt the succubus, but sent it tumbling to the side as the duelist ran past her to its master.

Martinez threw away his trust arbalest as he drew a single knife. With his other hand, he gripped the small stone and balled it up into his fist. He knew he would only get one chance at this. The lives of everyone in the keep depended on him, he had to make it count.

Loric calmly stepped back, and uttered his signature spell at the duelist.

Martinez's thoughts began to unravel . He wasn't sure what he was doing, all he could recall was the nice blue hair lady . He remembered how delicate and soft she was when he tended her wounds. As the duelist's anger wavered, he recollected that the robed man in front of him was responsible for hurting the blue haired woman. A primal anger rose into him as he continued his attack.

The sage was disappointed that his spell had not stopped the man. He hated employing evocation magics, but he knew that sometimes brute force was necessary. He fired a volley of magic missiles into the duelist , and followed it up with a quickened version of the spell he just unleashed. Ten darts of pure force struck the man , striking , ripping, and tearing his body mercilessly. Loric saw that he was still charging, but he faced him confidently without panic.

The sage readied a deflection spell, and timed it when the maddened duelist slashed at him with his dagger. The blow was easily redirected , much to Loric's expectation. He saw his pet succubus recover and was sprinting to his aid, behind the man. He guessed either she would tear him apart, or his next volley of missiles would.

As Loric began incanting his next spell, the duelist's fist smashed him in the mouth before he could deflect it magically. It wasn't a deadly attack, but it drew the sage's ire. How dare he lay a hand on him, when he was clearly already defeated. All thoughts of mercy vanished as Loric was determined to make him pay for this insult. The sage coughed a bit from the filthy man's attack though. Not only did he have the audacity to strike him, but he couldn't at least wash his armor first.

Loric watched as his succubus knocked the duelist down on the ground. A few seconds ago , he would have been content to let her finish him, but he was angry now from the duelist's blow. He would have have the satisfaction of victory for himself.

The sage decided to be a bit extravagant with his coup d'grace attack and decided on a lightning bolt. Not only was it flashy , but it had the added advantage of being unable to hurt his minion. A trait all demons shared were there immunity to electricity. Loric smiled and intoned the spell.

..

..

..

To his surprise, nothing happened. Loric wondered if he had misspoken the incantation in his haste, and attempted the simpler magic missle spell instead. Once again nothing happened.

He gazed at his hands and noticed nothing unusual save the dust on them. He turned again to the duelist, and found he had vanished from underneath the succubus. To his horror, the succubus was standing , straight up , unlike her usual crouched poise.

"Ohh...you've been a bad boy...a very naughty boy. ", she purred with pure malice in her voice and eyes.

Loric froze in fear. The enchantments he put on her were gone. That was impossible. The feeblemind curse was very difficult to remove except by a high level divine heal, or genie magic.

Before Loric could deduce the solution to the problem, the succubus tore into him. Razor sharp claws and long fangs stripped his skin, and turned his flesh into ribbons of gore. The sage was terrified as the creature embraced him with its unholy kiss. He had no doubts he would die , but to his knowledge he should have been wrapped up in a blissful rapture. To his shock, the kiss , his dismemberment and his death were all extremely painful.

* * *

Martinez rubbed the stone of Almarth on his brow . It worked its magic..or anti magic..and its last use consumed it . He was thankful that he carried out his attack even while under the feeblemind. He had hoped to jam the stone into the summoner's mouth and make him eat it. That would have not only been fatal to the sage but damn cool looking too. Instead he had to settle for crushing a bit of the stone and causing the area to be engulfed in a temporary anti magic zone. After he recovered his wits, it was a simple matter to escape the succubus's grasp and roll to the edge of the clearing. There he was able to enact a more permanent solution to his curse with the stone, as he watched the demoness do the dirty work for him.

Martinez watched the succubus dispatch her former master, and knew he had another dilemma before him. He wasn't able to defeat the demon before when her wits were dulled by the summoner's curse, how was he able to beat her now. His crossbow was in the middle of the clearing, and he only had one blade left. After a while he was sure the anti magic dust would drift away, but a feebleminded succubus was still more then a match for him.

"I can smell you , human. ", declared the she demon confidently . "I have no quarrel with you, if you wish to spy on me do so in the open , instead of skulking in the shadows . ".

Martinez rolled his eyes. Like he was going to believe the word of a succubus of all things. The smart move now was to wait it out while hidden, let the demon go bonkers again, then get Raoul and Jose to hunt it down together. It wouldn't be an easy task but it would definitely be safer and better for his health.

The demoness waited patiently in the clearing. The duelist had expected it to run off in search of him by now, but she simply stood there defiantly. "I suspect , that whatever method you used to release me from my malaise is only temporary. None the less I am thankful for the brief reprieve you have granted me. You've given me the opportunity to slay my tormentor, and for that I owe you a debt of gratitude. Due to this dust I can not read your thoughts, but I know you can hear me. I am a proud creature, and do not wish to beg, but please end my life before I am reduced to a savage beast again. I can not, and will not live like that again. ", she declared.

Martinez scoffed at that suggestion. It was trying to lure him out with the maiden in distress act, but it won't work on him. He would kill her alright, but when the odds were in his favor. If he popped out right now, he was sure she wanted to take him down with her.

The demoness then dropped to her knees. "Please... Do not let me revert into that ...thing ...again. I can remember the atrocities and rampages I was forced to commit. Even worse, I recall the subservient role I played to that summoner. I was nothing but a lap dog to him. I do not wish to be someone's mindless plaything again. I long for the days when I was but a simple guardian to one of the Blue Mage's hidden towers. Please kill me. ", she begged with black tears streaking down her face.

"Gawds...waterworks. I hate it when they start crying. ", thought Martinez. Demons would say or do anything to put their targets off guard, and succubus were the worst . The duelist scoffed at the suggestion that it wanted him to kill her. Even Stille told him not to sympathize with her, and if missy cleric of peace didn't defend her , who would?

The demoness sat down on her haunches and wiped the dark tears from her eyes. " I know you don't trust me, and I don't blame you. Those of my abyssal heritage have rightfully earned our savage and traitorous reputations. It won't be long till I lose my mind again, but I want to tell you something. Before I recovered my wits. I sensed your desires and the desires of the half fiend . Its a talent of my particular species. I know you wish for a closer relationship between yourself and that blue haired girl, but her heart is elsewhere. I recall seeing a large grey haired man, possibly a former or deceased lover. You should abandon your attempts to charm her, since they are doomed to fail. " ,declared the succubus.

Martinez tensed, but did not take the bait. He knew the creature was simply trying to provoke him now. Even a sudden motion or rustle would give away his position. The duelist knew he was too good and too experienced to fall for such simple tricks.

"You can not compete with a memory you know. Whatever you do will not be enough to beguile that girl. My memories are jumbled, but I recall you driving me away from her once. Did that act of heroism earn you any favor with your lady? Are you closer to sharing her bed now? ", continued the succubus. Although Martinez had not yet replied to her, she talked to the darkness as if it were an eager audience.

The duelist knew that the demon before him was an expert at speaking lies and sowing mistrust, but he considered her words carefully. She was probably right, the baroness would probably never fall for a handsome and dashing rogue like himself. He wasn't sure why he was even attracted to her in the first place. Even before she shook off her grey hair and wrinkles, he found her a fascinating and beautiful woman. Was it her strength ? Her confidence? Maybe it was the part of her that seemed lonely and forlorn ? Martinez paused and wondered if that was it. He saw in her an emptiness that mirrored his own. Despite his numerous affairs and romantic escapades, the duelist admitted that it was just a lie to hide his empty life of killing for gold. Despite his high praise of his own profession , he was simply a money grubbing mercenary. Also, he could never willing get close to anyone for fear of his own inevitable untimely death. It was part of his profession that he accepted, demon hunters never retire of old age. He saw that the baroness must have felt something similar . After she revealed herself to be a tiefling, he could tell she was quite guarded about her nature. What was worse was when her true heritage was revealed. Martinez knew that despite her wealth, power, and comforts , she must always be on guard . From his brief conversation with her about her status as a half fiend, he recalled that she didn't even tell her children about her true nature. He guessed that she hoped their blood lines were diluted enough so they would never suspect. The duelist knew that it wasn't always like this for her, she had confided in her husband and a few others. That changed of course when her betrothed passed away . It must have been very hard for her , not only losing her spouse, but losing the only person she could trust.

The succubus paused and turned towards Martinez. The duelist mentally cursed himself. The demon's mind games worked. He must have made an involuntary movement or sound as his thoughts were tangled by her words. His position was now compromised. He thought quickly and considered his options.

In spite of his better judgement, he entered the clearing , drawing his other dagger and keeping it at the ready.

"You're good. Very good. ", complimented the duelist to the demon.

The demoness simply smiled . "I've already stated I wish you no harm. I do however want to know if you can lift this mind numbing enchantment, before this dust dissipates? "

Martinez knew it could see through a lie, such was the nature of a succubus. He simply shrugged and answered her truthfully. "I could with the stone I had. However...it seemed to have shrunk at a rate greater than I had anticipated. I'm sorry , but its all gone now. ", smirked the duelist.

The demoness sighed, and the black tears flowed again. It was a bizarre sight, but for some reason the demonhunter involuntarily felt pity and the urge to comfort her. Martinez knew it was all part of her ploy to lure him closer into range, but he was still a sucker for tears from a beauitful woman. Demon or not .

"Please...I beg of you , since my salvation is gone, please kill me. Do not let me return to that dread existence. ", the demon begged.

Martinez couldn't believe it was still trying to pull at his heart strings. He wasn't an expert on spells, but even when feebleminded a creature was acting out its base instincts. The monster had killed villagers indiscriminately, and seemingly for pleasure. That meant regardless of its protests of being a victim of the summoner, it was most likely still a sadistic killer at heart.

" Ok, let's cut the crap. We both want each other dead, plain and simple. If you really desire your own end, I can make your death quick and painless. OR ... we can duke it out right now. Your claws and fangs, versus my dagger. No more under card filler, it's time for the main event. What's it gonna be? ", challenged Martinez. He was perfectly aware how this was going to go down and spun his remaining blade in his palm casually and skillfully as he waited for its answer.

The succubus seemed surprise that Martinez was so blunt. She stared at his dagger, and seemed locked in thought.

* * *

"We...we won?", gasped Jimmy. The boy was covered in claw marks by the Dretches but had held his ground. The young boy was not in the front ranks, but held the back rank staunchly , defending it with the Lady Stille against any demons that slipped past Raoul and Sir Jose. The battle seemed to last forever , and it appeared the keep would be flooded by the small demons, when miraculously the entire lot of them vanished and faded away.

"Well, what do you know. Seems that Martinez's plan worked. I wasn't sure how convincing of a Lady Stille he would play, but I guessed it was good enough to get him close to that Loric character.", smiled Raoul as he wiped the black demon blood off his blade.

"Well in his defense, he had me fooled earlier with that half elf act. I just want to know how he defeated him. I would have thought the summoner had layers of magical protections on him. ", shrugged Jose as he caught his breath.

"A stone of Almarth. An item that negates magic. Useful when battling demons, and magicians. He planned to use it to give him an edge in his battle against Loric. Seeing how our attackers had vanished I guessed it worked. ", noted an exhausted Stille.

"So the bad guys go poof when the mage dies? ", asked Jimmy .

"Any creature that was summoned will exist till the spells duration is expired. Any creature bound by the summoner's willpower, will remain till its contract is over. Since these dretchs literally vanished, I guess that the link between them and their summoner was severed, possibly by the said stone. ", smiled Raoul.

"What about creatures he enslaved with his magic? You guys mentioned feeblemind and other spells. What will they do now?", pondered Jose.

"In all likely hood they will run a mock, perhaps even fight amongst themselves. They will most likely flee and scatter , but they there is a chance they might stick around to cause misery in the barony. ", explained Stille.

"So Martinez might still be in trouble? Even after he defeated Loric, he might be surrounded by bad guys?", asked Jimmy with a shudder.

"Don't worry about the boss. He can take care of himself. ", replied Raoul with a half hearted smile.

* * *

Martinez looked at the prostate succubus with suspicion. He was sure it was going to say something witty before leaping at his throat. They would do some sexy tussling for a bit but it would be over for him soon. He gave himself a one in three chance to beat the creature in melee while armed with only a dagger, but he faced worse odds before.

He gazed at the demoness who was humbled before him. She was on all fours with her head bowed low . Her body oozed lewdness, seduction, lust and perversity. Every part of her from her ample breasts, sensual curves, curled horns, dark mane, leather wings, and sinister tail , screamed the temptations of some forbidden erotic delight. Instead of attacking , she had placed herself in a vulnerable position before him. The duelist knew she could easily roll and spring to attack in a moment , but he would have a valuable fraction of a second to react. That boosted his odds to fifty fifty , he thought . Maybe even sixty forty in his favor, since he was so damn skilled. Maybe sixty five to thirty five since he was also so damn good looking he corrected himself.

"Please..I feel the dust wearing off. End it now before my intelligence fades once again. I prided myself to be able to master my urges with reason and will power. To lose mastery over one self is devastating. End it now with violence, before I lose control and force your hand. " , she pleaded.

The duelist was taken back by her final plea. He was a fighter, a lover, not an executioner. Most importantly he was a demon hunter, he had killed hundreds of demons before, even other succubus. He wasn't sure why he stayed his hand. Was it his recent talk with the baroness ? Even though she herself told him to kill it if given the opportunity , it didn't seem right to him. From the fading amount of dust in the area, he guessed he had one maybe two minutes to make up his mind. Whatever the situation actually was, he had to make a decision quickly. If he approached and struck her down , he would be within range of her claws and fangs. Even from her prostate position she was dangerous, Martinez had experienced her unearthly speed before. If he ran , the creature might strike at him from behind. Even at a 100 paces he wouldn't be safe. If he did nothing and wait for the dust to fade, it would be a brawl. He knew that the succubus's base instincts would not let him kill her without a battle. Was it trying to further bait him to let his guard down? Or did it really want to die? As Martinez considered these options an idea came to him.

"Look, I'm a demon hunter. I hunt critters like you. Every instinct tells me to take you up on your offer and put an end to you. However, I'm also aware that you haven't been yourself recently. As much as I want to justify killing you indiscriminately based solely on the fact that you will kill again , I can't do it. I won't delude myself, I haven't turned over a new leaf or anything. I've killed plenty of your people in the past , and Rawk willing I will kill more if given the chance. However this is different. This entire situation is different actually. If I was a smarter person I would just fight you here and now, and see how it turns out. Sadly , as my assistant always points out I'm not that bright, and do things the hard way. ", Martinez said while shaking his head. Then he dug a short strand of rope and held it up with his left hand. "This my dear ,is rope from the hair of a disenchanter. One ugly looking aardvark camel critter that has the power to negate magic. I don't know if it can negate that feeblemind curse, but I suspect it can at least nullify it if you hold on to it. I would give this to you if you promise not to kill, unless in self defense or something. Since you are a denizen of the abyss, and not the hells, I guess you can honor more the spirit rather then the word of the bargain. ", stated Martinez.

The demoness looked at the object and her tears stopped. It crawled up to its haunches and looked at the duelist inquisitively. "Do not tell me you would trust me on my word? Even my sisters and my mother wouldn't do that. ", she asked doubtfully.

Martinez laughed slightly, "Heh, of course not. I'm kind of thick headed sometimes, but I'm not that naive. ", he admitted. Then his expression turned deathly serious. "I know about your kind almost as much as you do I reckon, probably more then dead ol Loric there . I know about true names, the only way to properly bind your kind. Give me yours , then I will give you this rope. I can hold you to your bargain if I know it.", stated the duelist.

The succubus seemed shocked, but then relented. "Very well. I rather be a servant in control of her senses then a mindless monster. Its..its Selexia V'derin Tl'llaca. ", she said without hesitation. "Please..there isn't much time.", she pleaded.

Martinez sounded the name mentally in his head, they were words of power and they rung true in his mind. He would rather spend time to confirm their control, but he knew time was short . The words of power would do him little good if the creature was rendered feral and unable to comprehend his commands. Without questioning her reply he threw her the strand of rope which the succubus quickly grabbed and wrapped around her wrist.

The creature shuddered and quivered as the rope drained her powers. Martinez guessed, that not only was her spell casting powers nullified, but her supernatural ones were gone as well. Discounting her obvious physical skills, he surmised she had less magical powers then an imp or even a tiefling at that moment.

"Ok...Now leave this barony, go back to where you came, and umm...don't starting eating people. ", stated Martinez, unsure of proper commands to give. The whole thing was a spur of the moment idea, and he admitted he had given little thought to it.

The succubus turned to the duelist and flashed her teeth. "Thank you. I was completely honest you know, when I stated I did not want to become a mindless creature of the night. However with this braid...things have changed. I sense I can no longer inflict pleasure when I drain my prey, but I promise to give you a painless death as possible.", she said as she sprang at him.

"Selexia Vderin Tellica , down girl! Heel! Stop! ", sputtered the duelist as he sensed he made a slight miscalculation. He had expected an eventual attack, but not so soon.

The demoness was fast but not as quick as he recalled from their previous encounters as she closed the gap between them in a blink of an eye and slashed his shoulders with his claws. Martinez spun around from her strike and fell on his back. The succubus then whipped her tail at him, but the duelist continued to twist away and rolled to his feet.

"Oh..a clever one you are, but you lack the spells needed to properly command me. My name holds power over me, but sadly you are unable to fully utilize it. You should have trusted your instincts and killed me when you had the chance or taken your opportunity to run. I am faster, but the woods might have saved you. ", gloated the hissing succubus.

Martinez ignored her taunts and grabbed his arbalest which he was now with in range of. He didn't have time to load it but he triggered the bayonet .

"Hey princess. I'm not the smartest adventurer there ever was, but I do know how to hedge my bets. I didn't come to the middle of the clearing just to have a heart to heart talk or to become demon kibble. I also came so I can get this. ", he said while patting the crossbow.

The demon hissed once again and sprang to the attack . She was fast, but her movements were not as economical as the duelist's . Martinez threw his dagger and it struck true and embedded in her leg. He then feinted with a sidestep, but instead of falling back he rolled towards her in the last second, narrowly avoiding her claws. The succubus spun to face her foe once again, but the wound to her leg caused her to falter slightly. The split second of indecision was all Martinez needed as he swiveled and planted a powerful sidekick to her stomach. The demon fell back and it looked at the duelist in confusion.

Martinez brandished his arbalest's bayonet at the demon . "Whatza matter Princess? A bit of your supernatural strength and speed gone? There's a good reason I use the rope to catch demons. You can take it off if you want , but the curse will return. Or you can run and maybe convince a priest or something to remove it. Don't try the baroness though, I heard you two have past history. ", smirked the duelist with all the cockiness and arrogance he could muster .

The succubus shrieked and hissed in frustration at Martinez. It appeared to be ready to attack again, but the pain of its previous failure still wracked her leg. Instead it took to the air and flew off into the night.

Martinez took advantage of his opponents flight as he reloaded his twin crossbow and fired in one swift motion. The first bolt narrowly missed his prey's head, while the other tore through its wing. The demon screamed into the night as it twisted head over heels before smashing into a tree. The duelist did not relent in his attack and sped towards his target, impaling her with his bayonet as it fell to the ground.

The succubus faded quickly but she managed to open her eyes one more time to gaze upon her killer.

"You know, in a strange way , I would have been content if you just left in peace. Sure it would have been grossly irresponsible of me to let a potential mass murder go just to soothe my conscience, but hey I let the baroness live, and that turned out to be a good idea. It would have been best for everyone if you just would have left. You get to reform your ways and start a new life, and I get to be a hero with a conscience .", sighed Martinez.

The demon struggled to speak but could only glare at the duelist with an unending fury. "It's not over...", it hissed. It attempted to muster the strength of final attack, but simply slumped to the ground in death as it began dissolving .

The duelist kicked the slain demon as it slowly dissipated, then retrieved his dagger before it fell into the forming pool of demonic ichor. Ichor was always a pain to clean. He scanned the woods in case there were more attackers and sighed deeply when he was certain there weren't any. "Damn, that took longer then expected. I wonder if I can get away without paying Raoul overtime.", he pondered.


	12. Chapter 12

Stille looked down the cliff. It was at least a hundred foot tall with a tranquil river beneath. Despite the serenity and familiarity of the scene, the baroness felt a little uneasy. "No..not a baroness anymore, just a priestess", she corrected herself. She had given her instructions to Anna and Sergeant Taylor . Before she left for her destination though , she had one more thing to do. She hiked to the northern barrier of her keep till she was safely out of sight of all prying eyes, and readied herself for what she was about to do.

She glanced around , and when her keen eyes and hearing were satisfied no one was around , she undid a few buttons of her bodice. Four bat wings unfurled from her back as she tested their strength and sturdiness. Despite forgoing makeup and her trusty grey wig, she still felt very insecure about her wings. The hair and youth she could claim as either fashion or longevity magic, but the demonic appendages were something else. Most people that knew her , didn't even realize that she had them and the very few that knew assumed they were vestigial and useless.

"Maybe they are useless.", mused the priestess as she tested their power . She had never learned to fly with them , and that was her regret. Not because she was scared of heights or failure, but because they were proof of her forbidden heritage. Many times over she had proven to herself that she was a half fiend, but there always remained a small doubt that she wasn't. The fact she had never flew with her wings gave herself a small hope that she was merely a tiefling with big wings. Even though her husband did not seem to care, and actually encouraged her to embrace her physical "gifts" , Stille had always held back.

"Oh Halvor. I'm doing this for you , you know. ", she whispered to herself, remembering her recent vision from the Gardens of Koryis. She had not determined if it was merely a hallucination or if she actually visited the lands of the dead, but her conversation with Hida Franksada and his sword the demon scourge Galatea had resonated with her. Her husband had always wanted to see her fly without magic, and she resolved to see it through.

With that she fully stretched all four of her wings. " Ok, big ones are for flight and speed, small ones are for maneuvering. ", the priestess noted to herself. With that she pushed off the cliff, to embrace her destiny.

Although she had a feather fall spell at the ready, the adrenaline of leaping off the precipice was overwhelming. She thought for sure she would dash her face against the rocks below as she beated her wings uselessly. As she plummeted , suddenly she missed the ground, and she glided upwards. The priestess had flown before, but always under the power of a magical spell, so she had some idea how to handle herself. The novelty of flight by her own body was exhilarating though , as her blood seemed to pump wildly through her frame.

"I can't believe I've ignored this for a hundred years. This is amazing. ", she thought as she smiled to herself. She circled around the cliff carefree a few times, when suddenly a wild air current threw her off balanced. She sensed she could regain control, but wasn't experienced to do so in time. The priestess attempted her feather fall spell , but instead crashed into the woods.

Stille laid on the ground painfully, but more happy then she been in a decade. She quickly recovered her wounds with a prayer . Then she stood up , dusting the debris off her and stretched her limbs . "I'm going to need a bit more practice. ", she said with a grin to no one in particular.

* * *

"Shouldn't you rest a bit more ...sir? ", asked Jose tentatively .

"I've rested long enough I think. I rested so long, I missed all the action. ", scoffed Sir Rollo as he packed his saddle bags.

"Errr I'm still not sure why you are returning north sir. There is much to do here. The tide of demonic incursions does not seem to be abating. ", noted the younger Husky Knight.

Sir Rollo sighed and nodded , then turned to his student. "You are correct , even with your great victory here in Veb, the battle is never ending. I should be leading our men , but my recent brush with death has shown me that there is a final task I must do. I am old man , Jose. An old bitter lonely man. If a demon's claws doesn't kill me, old age will soon. I have lived and battled longer then most of my comrades , and I have long out lived any regrets and friends . Save of course one. I intend to go north one more time, and say my farewells to my dear friend Ogella. One more journey while my bones can still make it. ", explained the elder knight.

Jose nodded at the sincerity of his mentor. "What of the remaining knights in Grom then? Do you wish us to continue support of the clerics of Koryis? ", he asked.

"Yes and no. We gathered our might so we can slay that summoner Pierre or Loric, or whatever he called himself. Since he is dead, I think our strength is best used if we scatter our forces. The novice knights and squires will continue to aid Father Emilo, while I wish the more seasoned ones to crusade and quest throughout the country side. ", replied Rollo.

Jose nodded once again. "Good journey to you then my lord. I will report to Father Emilo immediately. ", he said with a salute.

Rollo let out a dry chuckle, and shook his head in amusement. "Boy...ever since I recruited you from that Darokin port a decade ago, I saw nothing but potential in you. You've shown me your courage and might when you helped defeat the demonic incursion in this barony. Sir Jose , as a knight commander of order, I declare you a full fledged knight of the Husky. May your enemies tremble at your fury, and your allies bolstered by your courage. ", the old knight said with his own salute.

SIr Jose was stunned at first but then beside himself with joy. He could only think of shouting in his North Darokin accent, but refrained because he knew his mentor frowned on such outbursts.

Rollo saw this and held out his hand . "A word of caution though. You are now a full representative of our order, and I expect you to behave and act in a manner that will bring us honor. Besides your knightly codes of conduct, I expect your speech, manner of dress, and battle techniques to be representative of your adopted Northern Heritage. ", the old knight cautioned.

Sir Jose was a bit deflated at the criticism towards him but he nodded in agreement. He cherished his homeland , and background, but he was a full Knight of the Husky now. He would honor his mentor's wishes.

Sir Rollo gazed at his former pupils face and read his determination , then he cracked a withered smile. "Excellent, we see eye to eye . Now how about we share a parting drink before I leave. ", ordered the knight commander.

Jose nodded in agreement and proceeded to march to the keep and procure some wine or brandy. "Wait Esay . How about some of that Agave worm juice you are so fond of? ", the old knight said unexpectedly with a smile.

* * *

"Hey why so glum ?", asked Raoul as he shouldered the heavy pack . Even though the half giant had renegotiated his contract with the duelist, it just seemed natural for him to carry it.

"Eh? I'm not glum. We killed the demon, we got a big reward from both the clerics of Koryis and from the barony. We saved the day. What's there to be glum about. ", shrugged Martinez.

Raoul stared down the long road. It would be roughly four days to Grom City if there was no complications. Four unbearable days if his employer would continue to sulk and act miserable. "Is it because you didn't get the girl? heh. ", jested the half giant, not realizing how close to home it hit.

Martinez paused, and wasn't sure how to respond. He knew that the incident with the succubus was unavoidable. It would have eventually came to down to only one of them leaving that clearing. Regardless of the outcome , he felt there was a small hope that he could of reformed it or at least shown it a different path. Also, deep down he knew he really didn't have a chance with the baroness. Besides her obvious physical attributes, she possessed a light heart and optimism that the duelist found oddly hypnotic. Despite her protests of her age, he would have liked to know her better . At the height of the siege he thought they started to bond in some odd way . In the end though, she didn't even meet them to say good bye. Anna was in charge of the official farewells and payments. It was his lot in life as a mercenary he guessed. Do your job, get paid, move on.

Raoul saw that his joke did not have the desired effect he wanted. "Look boss, cheer up. We'll find some loose women in Lower Lueders as soon as we get back. Nothing like a night of heavy drinking and soft company to cheer you up. These provincial women are boring anyways. Except maybe Anna, I found her kind of hot. ", teased the half giant to no avail. " How about you kick me? I know you've been wanting to do so for awhile now. It must be infuriating to be always shown up by yours truly. ", baited Raoul .

"Shown up by you? Those elementals must have dropped rocks on your head or something. No one shows up Martinez. Who was responsible for killing the necromancer? Me! Who was responsible for slaying the succubus ? Me ! By myself I might add. ", boasted the duelist.

"I want to add there was no witnesses . For all we know , the necromancer and succubus might have ran away, and you just found a dead farmer in a robe. ", shrugged the half giant with a smile.

Martinez stopped and gazed angrily at his companion as he walked away laughing. The duelist wound up and kicked Raoul from behind in the ass with all the might he could summon. "OWWWW! ", exclaimed the duelist as he clutched his foot.

"What was that? A mosquito or something ?", laughed the half giant, suddenly he held up his hand. The joking pair instantly drew their weapons and waited. Raoul sniffed the air, and suddenly lunged into a bush .

"Jimmy? What are you doing here?", asked the half giant as he held up the young boy by the collar.

"Errr...You guys still need a porter right? ", replied the boy sheepishly.

"Jimmy ...go home. What we do..its not safe. You should know that by now. ", replied Martinez as he sheathed his daggers. Raoul nodded in agreement with his employer.

"Please...let me come with you. I won't be any trouble at all. There's nothing left for me in the barony. I'm too small to be a guard, and no one is currently taking apprentices. I have no parents, and I'm tired of being a burden to my aunt and uncle. I thought I was doomed to be a house servant , until you guys showed up. Please let me apprentice under you guys. ", pleaded the boy.

An uneasy silence settled on the road.

"You realize, demon hunting isn't like blacksmithing or farming. There's no apprentice ship program involved. It's just people with specific skill sets that set out to battle summoned or displaced lower plane outsiders. Which I might note, there are many varieties of. The pays is sub standard compared to a proper adventurer, and the danger is twice as high. " ,cautioned Martinez finally.

"I'll learn whatever skills that I need to. I don't care about danger, I've fought before , you've seen me. Just give me a chance. Look I have two badges each represents my bravery. ", replied the boy scrambling to convince the pair.

The duelist did not want to hurt the boy's feelings, but had no intention of bringing him into danger. He thought of the best way to deflate his ambitions and dreams. It was hard considering all that Jimmy had done and contributed during the Battle of Veb.

"I say we give him a shot. He's earned it. ", said Raoul much to the surprise of both Martinez and Jimmy. "If we throw him back to town, he's just gonna follow us anyways, like he's done a half dozen times already. ", the half giant said with a shrug.

Martinez looked at the half giant and then cracked a smile, "This is just a ploy to get out of carrying my bags isn't it? ", he laughed.

"I've been found out. ", snorted the half giant, as he placed his heavy pack on Jimmy's back. The boy shifted uncomfortably from the weight but smiled .

"I will do my best, no... twice my best. You won't regret it. ", Jimmy said happily as he gladly accepted the heavy burden.

"Let's make double time out of this hell hole, before the baroness gets wind of this. Last thing I want is a crazed blue hair harpy on our backs. ", warned Martinez at his two employees.

"Actually Anna is officially the baroness now. ", replied a familiar feminine voice . The lady Stille stepped out from the woods , blue hair and youthful appearance for all to see. The priestess was wearing her dark breast plate and her fashionable black traveling dress, with a sword and satchel at her side . Martinez noted that she was covered in small leaves and dust, and wondered if she had fallen off a horse recently.

The demon hunters remained silent , trying to come up with an explanation that would explain why they were dragging the young boy into perilous danger.

Stille ignored their discomfort and continued her explanation. "Anna and Sergeant Taylor have shown me they are more then capable of handling the barony, especially after their actions in the recent crisis. Despite their protests, I shall temporarily leave my barony in their hands. Jimmy has my blessings to leave as well, he has shown me his strength as well. I left home on my first adventure when I was was younger and less prepared then him, I have full confidence that he will make everyone proud. ", stated the priestess.

"You are leaving your barony? What brought this about baro...err priestess? ", asked Raoul.

"Someone recently told me that there is a shortage of "good guys" in the world. With the continued conflict down south, and our nation's resources stretched to the limit, there is a distinct need for people to make a difference in the world. Too long have I ignored the troubles of the outside world and shut myself away in my tranquil village. I have resolved to take a more proactive approach to make this world a better place , or at least attempt to. ", explained Stille.

Martinez raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? What do you plan on doing? ", he asked with a grin.

"Oh...I don't know . I'm sure some adventuring group or perhaps demon hunting party will require the services of an experienced healer. ", she replied. "Do you happen to know any ?", she teased with a mischevious grin.

Martinez playfully shrugged in return. "I can think...", he began but was interrupted by a jabbering cacophony.

" NORTH DAROKIN REPRESENT! *HIC* Que viva la Daro Raza! ", shouted a clearly inebriated knight on a large fierce looking green dog.

"AMIGOS! ESAYS! *HIC* Guess who's a full *HIC* member of the Order of the Husky now? ", slurred Jose as he gripped a bottle in one hand and the reigns of his unamused riding dog with another.

"Dear lord, is Sir Rollo that desperate ? ", joked Martinez. "Congratulations! ", the duelist added uncomfortably when he saw his jest did not register on his drunken friend's face.

"YAY ME! *HIC* Anyways, I was given orders to freelance now. You know quest, crusade, adventurer *HIC*...whatever you guys call it. Any chance I can hang with you guys? *HIC* ", asked the knight as he threw Martinez his bottle of Agave worm spirits.

The duelist deftly caught the bottle and took a swig. Then looked at his suddenly large group of companions . No he corrected himself , his large group of friends. These were people he had fought, bled , and triumphed with in the last few days. Bonds forged in battle were not so easy to ignore or break. " I think we can let you hang around for at least the next little while. We're teaching young Jimmez here how to be a demon hunter, and I guess we need a "What not to do" example. ", laughted Martinez.

The end.

For now.


End file.
